The Australian racing community is mourning the death of 22-year-old apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, who pᴀssed away after sustaining critical injuries in a fall during a race at Warren Racecourse in New South Wales.

Neale was riding the horse Marnoo in the Warren Shire Cotton Cup on Sunday when the animal suffered a serious leg injury approximately two furlongs from the finish. She was unseated in the incident, knocked unconscious, and airlifted to Dubbo Hospital in critical condition. She remained on life support until her family confirmed her death on Tuesday.

In a statement, her family said she pᴀssed away peacefully, surrounded by her closest relatives and friends. They described her lifelong pᴀssion for horses, noting that she had ridden before she could walk and that this love had later developed into a career in racing. The family also shared that, through organ donation, Neale would give others the chance of life, offering some comfort amid their grief. They expressed deep graтιтude to medical staff, Racing NSW, the NSW Jockeys ᴀssociation, and the wider racing community for their support, while requesting privacy as they come to terms with the loss.

A second rider, Diego Montes de Oca, was also dislodged in the same race and taken to hospital with minor injuries. He was later discharged. The remainder of the Warren meeting was abandoned, and a fixture scheduled for the following day at Scone was cancelled out of respect.

Neale had established herself as a rising talent after turning professional in early 2024. She recorded 88 wins under rules, including a notable victory aboard It’s A Tata at Rosehill, one of New South Wales’ premier tracks. Trainers and colleagues remembered her as a positive and well-liked figure. Prominent trainer John Thompson, for whom she had worked, described her as “an absolute beacon of shining light” who was always happy, always smiling, and loved by everyone who met her.

Her death marks the first fatality of a jockey in a race in New South Wales since 2017. Tributes have continued across the industry as the sport reflects on the loss of a young rider who was widely regarded as having a bright future.