Racing community mourns jockey Simone Montgomerie

The racing community is in mourning following the death of jockey Simone Montgomerie after a fall during a race in Darwin yesterday.

She had been leading Race 6 at the Fanny Bay racecourse aboard Riahgrand when the horse shied and threw her to the track less than 200 metres from the finish line.

She was trampled by other horses and critically injured, and died soon after arriving at the Royal Darwin Hospital.

The remainder of the meeting was called off – including the Darwin Cup.

The 26-year-old was a graduate of the apprentice academy at Cheltenham and began her riding career in South Australia before moving to Darwin in 2009.

Thoroughbred Racing South Australia (TRSA) said it is offering apprentices and jockeys counselling.

“I would say, across the board they will all feel the pain,” chairman of stewards Johan Petzer said.

“Simone was a very capable young rider and moved to Darwin to further her career, and my understanding is she did very well up there.”

The apprentice academy was closed today as a mark of respect.

Head of the South Australian Jockey Club (SAJC) Brenton Wilkinson described Ms Montgomerie as a ‘lovely’ person.

“The whole racing community in South Australia, if not the world – very, very close community - none of us like to see loss of life to any jockeys anywhere in the world, but to be this close to home is very emotional,” Mr Wilkinson said.

“She was just a nice person and they’re a lovely family, so our hearts and emotions go out to the whole family and her friends because it is a very, very tragic time.”