Australian apprentice jockey Izzy Neale was airlifted to Dubbo Hospital in a critical condition after a serious fall at Warren on Sunday afternoon.
Neale, 22, was unseated from her mount Marnoo during the Cotton Cup at approximately 400m remaining in the 1600m race. The fall had an immediate impact on the meeting, with the rest of the day’s racing at Warren abandoned soon after.
The incident also affected the next scheduled race meeting. On Monday, Racing NSW said the Scone card had been postponed to Wednesday after consultation with jockeys and trainers engaged for the meeting.
Race meeting delayed after serious fall
Racing NSW said the decision to move the Scone meeting came after the serious race fall involving Neale at Warren. The organisation also said Neale remained in Dubbo Hospital in a critical condition, with her family by her side.
Racing NSW added that its thoughts and heartfelt support, along with those of the wider racing community, were with Neale, her family, friends and colleagues during what it described as an extremely difficult time.
Support quickly followed from across the sport. Melinda Turner posted that she was “praying for a miracle tonight” and called it “a terrible day for our industry.” The Australian Jockeys' Association also sent its support to “Izzy and Diego” after what it described as a dreadful fall at Warren, while Robbie Dolan said it was a tough day to be a jockey when incidents like this happen.
Neale had already built a strong early record in the saddle, with 88 wins from 699 starts. Her 2024 campaign included a debut professional race ride victory at Condobolin after progressing from the academy ranks, and she also rode at Rosehill as part of Five Diamonds Day on Saturday before the Warren fall the next afternoon.
For now, the focus remains on Neale’s condition and on the racing community’s response as it awaits further updates.
