Australian apprentice jockey Izzy Neale has died at the age of 22 after suffering fatal injuries in a fall during a race at Warren Racecourse in New South Wales on Sunday.
Neale was riding her horse, Marnoo, when she was thrown off during the competition. Emergency responders airlifted her to Dubbo Hospital, where she later died.
Her family confirmed the heartbreaking news on Tuesday in a joint statement with Racing NSW, expressing their grief over the loss of a young woman whose life had been closely connected to horses and horse racing.
According to her family, Neale began riding horses as a toddler, and what started as a childhood interest gradually developed into a deep passion for competitive racing.
They also revealed that she would become an organ donor, describing the decision as an opportunity for her to help save the lives of others even after her death.
The tragic incident forced organisers to abandon the Cotton Cup meeting. Marnoo also suffered a severe leg injury in the fall and was later put down.
Another jockey involved in the race, Diego Montes de Oca, sustained a foot injury and was taken to hospital for treatment. He has since been discharged.
During her racing career, Neale recorded 88 winners, earning recognition as a promising young rider. The Australian Turf Club paid tribute to her, describing her as a talented jockey whose future in the sport had looked bright.
Her trainer, John Thompson, also remembered her as a cheerful and much loved young woman, whose loss would be deeply felt by those who knew and worked with her.
As tributes continue to emerge from the racing community, Neale’s family has appealed for privacy as they come to terms with the devastating loss.
