Jockey Simone Montgomerie has died "following a fall at the Darwin Cup meeting in Australia." Montgomerie, 26, was "among the frontrunners on Riahgrand when she was thrown from her mount about 100m from the finishing line." After her fall in the Wolf Blass Lightning Plate race, the "remainder of the Darwin Cup meeting, which had a crowd of about 20,000, was abandoned with three races remaining" (BBC, 8/5). In Melbourne, Sharkie & Bartley reported Montgomerie's death "was a tragic reminder of the risk that jockeys take each day on Australian race tracks." The 26-year-old mother died "from critical injuries soon after arriving at Darwin Hospital." She leaves behind a four-year-old daughter. Victorian jockey Dwayne Dunn, who was also riding at the meeting, "was shocked and deeply saddened." Dunn: "It seemed like the horse could have shied at the crossing at the 200 meters. It was a fall that you'd see 400 times and walk away from, but not this one" (THE AGE, 8/6). In Sydney, Cormick & Walsh reported Chief Minister Adam Giles of Australia's Northern Territory said that Montgomerie "was at the top of her game and a role model for women." Giles said, "Simone was a champion jockey at the top of her game and a pioneer of women in racing who will be sorely missed. This is a sad day for the Australian racing industry" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/6). In Sydney, Ray Thomas reported Montgomerie "had become the 503rd rider to lose a life on Australian racetracks" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 8/6).
INVESTIGATION INITIATED: NEWS LIMITED NETWORK's Neda Vanovac reported Darwin Turf Club Chair Brett Dixon said that a "full investigation into the circumstances of the accident has already been initiated by stewards." Dixon: "As far as the Darwin Turf Club is concerned, she was our family, and we're all devastated by this accident." Dixon said that Montgomerie "suffered traumatic injuries" (NEWS LIMITED NETWORK, 8/5).
