Tragedy at the track: Australian jockey deaths since 1962

The death of SA jockey Dean Holland has served as a stark reminder of the dangers of horse racing. We remember some of the jockeys who paid the ultimate price on the track.

The racing industry has been left reeling after the death of South Australian jockey Dean Holland during a race in country Victoria on Monday. The father-of-four was in the final sprint to the finish line when his horse suddenly veered into a side rail.

He was airlifted to hospital in Melbourne in a critical condition but died from his injuries.

Holland is one of a dozen jockeys to die in Australia during racing or trackwork in the past decade.

According to The National Jockeys Trust, about 900 jockeys have lost their life in racing in Australia, ranging from Melbourne Cup winners to track work accidents.

Here are some of them.

1962: NEVILLE SELLWOOD

Jockey Neville Selwood. December 1, 1956. Photo: News Corp.

The Australian Hall of Fame inductee and two-time Melbourne Cup winner died on November 7, 1962 as a result of a fall when riding in France. He was 39. Sellwood was considered a superstar of his generation.

1998: LEANNE GOODWIN

Goodwin was the fourth female rider to lose her life in racing when she fell during a race at Roma, Queensland on December 7, 1998. A year earlier she was the first female aboriginal jockey to win a metropolitan race.

2000: PHILLIP CHENG

Cheng was kicked in the head and chest area after a fall at Sha Tin, in Hong Kong on September 23, 2000 and died as a result of the injuries three days later.

2002: JASON OLIVER

Brother to the legendary Damien, Oliver passed away on October 30, 2002 when the horse he was rising in a 400m barrier trial at Belmont in Perth broke down at the winning post, sending the jockey to the ground.

2013: SIMONE MONTGOMERIE

Jockey Simone Montgomerie, who died after a fall at the Darwin Cup Carnival.

Montgomerie, 26, died on August 5, 2013 after being thrown from her horse during the Darwin Cup race meeting.

The mother-of-one was racing down the home straight when she fell from her mount and was trampled by the pack.

Doctors treated her at the scene but she died shortly after arriving at Royal Darwin Hospital.

Hailing from a racing family, Montgomerie’s father Peter trained 2005 Melbourne Cup runner-up On A Jeune.

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy told news.com.au he was “shattered by the news”.

“I know Simone really well, we actually did pony club together. My condolences go to the Montgomerie family.“She’s a beautiful girl, it’s just a tragedy.”

2013: DESIREE GILL

Desiree Gill at the Gympie Turf Races. Photo: David Crossley.

A champion country rider, Gill, 45 died in a race fall in the Queensland town of Caloundra on November 9, 2013.

As journalist Peter Hall reported, the Gympie rider was as generous in death as in life, gifting her organs to five people who were awaiting a lifesaving transplant.

She was` farewelled by hundreds of locals at the Gympie Showgrounds Pavilion, next to the sand track where, as Hall wrote, “she ruled as queen”.

Merv Welch, a longtime friend, told how through “freakish determination”, Gill had managed to return from an accident in 2004 in which her leg was crushed, sidelining her for four-and-a-half years.

“She was a bush champion … a fierce competitor, tough and someone who always gave 100 per cent,” Mr Welch said.

2014: CARLY-MAE PYE

The 26-year-old Rockhampton jockey died on October 14, 2014 after she was injured in a fall during a jump track trial. The gifted jockey suffered serious head and chest injuries when her horse broke down and rolled on her.

Her partner, trainer Tim Cook, was just meters away when the accident happened and tried to revive her. She later died in hospital.

Cook told the Courier Mail the couple had discussed marriage just 10 days before the fall. “There will be a hole in my heart forever,” Mr Cook said.

2014: CAITLIN FORREST

Caitlin Forrest.

The racing community was dealt a second blow just two days later with the death of South Australian jockey Caitlin Forrest in a horror four-horse fall during a race at Murray Bridge.

The 19-year-old was thrown onto the turf and trampled by the race pack after the horse she was riding broke its shoulder and came down.

Forrest was semi conscious, responsive and breathing on her own after the fall but her condition deteriorated and she died in hospital.

Two of the other three jockeys who went down in the fall escaped serious injury, but fellow female rider Libby Hopgood was taken to hospital with concussion and a suspected broken collar bone.

As The Australian reported in 2019 following the death of a rider in the NT, nine of the previous 10 jockey deaths to that point involved women.

Writing on Facebook, Forrest’s boyfriend, fellow jockey Scott Westover, described her death as “the worst day of my life”. “I know there will be an angel up there watching me everyday and riding with me.”

2015: LIZ RICE

Rice, 26, died on January 31 2015, nearly three weeks after suffering head injuries in a fall during training at Caulfield on January 12.

The visiting English jockey was in Australia on a two-year working visa and had been riding with Aquanita at Caulfield after stints in Queensland and NSW.

As The Herald Sun reported, Rice fell when riding her horse back to the stables after it had had a swim. She was treated by paramedics before being put into an induced coma at the Alfred Hospital.

She did not regain consciousness and, with no prospects of a recovery, the decision was made to withdraw the medication keeping her alive.

Rice’s mother, Anne, and sister, Catherine, flew in from the UK and were at her side when she died.

2015: FRIEDERIKE RUHLE

Friederike Ruhle leading Vatican for Byron Cozamanis at Moonee Valley. Photo Greg Irvine/Magic Millions.

The 25-year-old visiting German track rider died after falling on a sand track at Caulfield on July 1, 2015., Ruhle was treated at the scene but died on arrival at the Alfred Hospital. As The Herald Sun reported, according to a report by Victoria’s Coroner, Ms Ruhle’s horse was spooked and shied, causing her to fall.

According to the report, Ms Ruhle held onto the reins for several metres before letting go and falling to the ground when she was trampled by the horse.

In the wake of her death, the Coroner urged Racing Victoria to introduce mandatory fall safety training.

2017: RIHARNA THOMSON

Trackwork rider Riharna Thomson. Picture: Facebook

Thomson, 22, died after she was seriously injured in a trackwork accident in Canberra on February 28, 2017.

Thomson sustained head injuries when her horse crashed to the turf during the trackwork session.

She was rushed to hospital and underwent emergency surgery but died three days later.
As News Corp reported at the time, Thomson was a dedicated trackwork rider and had just been promoted to stable foreman for trainers Keith Dryden and Scott Collings. She was described as a “young and enthusiastic horse lover who was well respected and loved among the local stable fraternity”.

2017: DARREN JONES

Jockey Darren Jones after winning race two with Free Billy at Clifford Park, Saturday, June 11, 2016. Photo: APN Australian Regional Media.

The experienced Tamworth-based jockey died after being involved in a three-horse fall in a race at Warialda on April 8, 2017.

As the Sunday Telegraph reported, leading female jockey Leanne Henley and apprentice Melanie Bolwell were also caught up in the fall.

Henry suffered bruising and Bolwell sustained serious head injuries and a fractured neck and ankle but survived. Jones, 48, had ridden for more than 30 years and won over 1000 races when tragedy struck at Warialda.

2017: DONNA PHILPOT

The jockey died on June 27, 2017 in a track accident in Bendigo.

Philpot was riding in a training exercise known as a “jumpout” when she fell from her horse.

Police said they believe another horse fell on top of the 48-year-old.She was treated at the track but paramedics but could not be saved, the Herald Sun reported.

The horse she was riding had to be euthanized as the result of its injuries.

2019: MIKAELA CLARIDGE

Mikaela Claridge after winning the Dunstan Engineering 0 - 58 Handicap at Donald Racecourse on May 11, 2019. Photo: Brendan McCarthy/ Getty Images.

The 22-year-old died after being thrown from her horse while trotting at Cranbourne Turf Club in the early hours of August 30, 2019.

Claridge suffered critical head injuries in the fall, which happened after her horse was spooked.

Her training partner also fell from her horse but was not seriously injured.

As The Herald Sun reported, a WorkSafe investigation found the trail included several features that could potentially spook a horse in the dark, including overhanging branches, pooled water and other horses or wildlife near the trail.

Cranbourne Turf Club Inc was convicted and fined $250,000 in the County Court after pleading guilty to one charge of failing to ensure persons other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks arising from the conduct of its undertaking.

2019: MELANIE TYNDALL

Constable Melanie Tyndall and "Saltito" in August, 2019. Photo: Glenn Campbell.

A much-loved jockey and police officer, Tyndall, 32, died after falling during a race at Fannie Bay on September 1, 2019, just a day after the death of Mikaela Claridge in Melbourne. Tyndall was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital in a stable condition, but died on arrival.

As The Sunday Herald Sun reported, the Top End community was devastated by her death.

2022: MARINA MOREL

The French apprentice jockey died after falling during trackwork at Gulgong in NSW on February 8, 2022. The 28-year-old was flown to Westmead Hospital but died a few days later.

Morel’s mother travelled from France to be by her side before the decision was made to turn off the young rider’s life support.

Originally published as Tragedy at the track: Australian jockey deaths since 1962