Jockey Simone Montgomerie dies after fall at Darwin Cup meeting

Jockey Simone Montgomerie has died following a fall at the Darwin Cup meeting in Australia.

The rider, 26, was among the frontrunners on Riahgrand when she was thrown from her mount about 100m from the finishing line.

The National Jockeys' Trust in Australia confirmed the Northern Territory rider was fatally injured.

Her father, Peter Montgomerie, trained 2005 Melbourne Cup runner-up On A Jeune.

After her fall in the Wolf Blass Lightning Plate race, the remainder of the Darwin Cup meeting, which had a crowd of about 20,000, was abandoned with three races remaining.

Montgomerie was treated by two doctors and paramedics at the course before being transported to Royal Darwin Hospital, but died shortly after arrival.

"Terrible day for all," said the National Jockeys' Trust on Twitter.  which also called for people to pray for her family.

- BBC.co.uk