Racing mourns death of jockey
The jockey injured in a fall in race seven at the annual Kurow Jockey Club's meeting on Sunday, has died after being airlifted to Dunedin Hospital.
Ashlee Marie Mundy, 26, was taken to hospital by helicopter in a critical condition after her mount, Elleaye, clipped the heel of the horse in front and fell approaching the 600-metre mark.
Miss Mundy died yesterday morning.
Kurow Jockey Club president Simon Williamson said the incident had been a tragic event.
"Our thoughts are with her family at this sad time," he said.
Dave Taylor, president of the New Zealand Jockeys' Association, expressed his heartfelt sorrow on behalf of all jockeys.
"We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident," he said.
"All jockeys riding in race seven today [Tuesday], at three meetings - Ellerslie, Hastings and Waikouaiti - will be wearing black arm bands and there will be a minute's silence on-course 20 minutes before the first race to mark her passing."
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing chief executive, Greg Purcell, who attended the Kurow meeting, said he spoke for all those involved in the industry. "All our thoughts are with Ashlee's family at this terrible time," he said.
"This is a very sad day for them and for the wider racing community in New Zealand."
A full review of the incident will be conducted by the Racing Integrity Unit, which will issue a report after interviewing all jockeys who rode at Kurow.
The police, who also attended the meeting, have begun preparing a report on the incident and the Health and Safety Department within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has been notified of the incident.
Ms Mundy was apprenticed to Michael Pitman in Christchurch on March 2, 2004 and rode her first winner, Starkay, on August 29, 2004 at Oamaru. She rode 232 winners in New Zealand including four black type races and has spent the past four years in Queensland where she rode 43 winners.
Ms Mundy's family live in Westport and she had returned to New Zealand for a holiday and race riding.
It is the first time a jockey has died in New Zealand from injuries suffered in a race fall in nearly nine years.
The previous rider fatality on a race day was that of Sam McRae, who was involved in a fall at Riverton on March 26, 2004.
