A jockey has died after falling from his mount during a race in Victoria’s west.
Dean Holland, 34, fell from the racehorse Headingley at Donald Racecourse about 1.30pm on Monday.
Paramedics treated Holland but he died at the scene, Victoria Police said. WorkSafe has been notified and would investigate the death, which was not being treated as suspicious.
The Victorian Jockeys Association initially said Holland was set to be airlifted to Melbourne after the fall during race one at the Donald meeting, which left him with critical injuries.
A second jockey, Alana Kelly, also went down while riding Time To Rumble but was cleared of serious injury, Racing Victoria said.
Both horses were unharmed in the incident.
Anzac Day race meetings at Flemington and Moe will not go ahead out of respect for Holland, Racing Victoria confirmed.
Stewards announced the Donald meeting was abandoned about 2.40pm, and have adjourned an inquiry into the incident until a date yet to be fixed.
Holland, known as a well-liked and hard-working member of Victoria’s riding ranks, was a proud father of four young children with his wife Lucy.
His death comes little more than a month after his career highlight.
Holland rode the filly In Secret to victory in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on March 11, having only picked up the ride after fellow rider Jamie Kah was injured in a race fall earlier that afternoon.
It was his second and most prestigious top-tier victory, the first coming 13 years earlier in Adelaide.
Racing Victoria said it was with tremendous sadness that it and the Victorian Jockeys Association could confirm Holland’s death.
The 34-year-old was unable to be saved because of the nature of his injuries, the organisation said.
“On behalf of the Victorian racing industry, I would like to extend our prayers and heartfelt condolences to Dean’s partner Lucy, his children, his family, friends and colleagues on the incredibly sad news of his passing,” Racing Victoria chief executive Andrew Jones said in a statement.
“It was a tragic accident at Donald today and we are all are deeply shocked and saddened that Dean has passed away as a result of injuries sustained in the fall.”
Racing SA said it was devastated by the passing of the South Australian-born Holland.
The Australian Jockeys Association said it lost a cherished member of its jockey ranks in Holland, who would be forever young.
“Words can never describe the loss of a young person but to all family and friends we will send prayers and our deepest sympathies,” the association said.
Melbourne Racing Club, which runs the Caulfield and Sandown tracks, said their thoughts were with Holland’s family at an extremely difficult time.
The sentiments were echoed by the Moonee Valley Racing Club and racing bodies across the country.
Four-time Melbourne premiership-winning trainer Peter Moody, famous for preparing unbeaten sprinter Black Caviar, said Holland was gone way too soon.
Source: AAP
