The NSW Jockeys Association had the sad task of informing racing that jockey Stefano Cherchi had died on Wednesday as a result of injuries sustained in a race fall on March 20.
The 23-year-old jockey was treated on the track for a head injury and internal bleeding before being taken to hospital. Sardinian-born Cherchi had been in an induced coma in a Canberra hospital intensive care unit since the accident and sadly passed away on Wednesday with his parents and girlfriend by his side.
Cherchi has ridden 106 winners in Britain while based in Newmarket and had recorded two since arriving in Australia in January 2024. He won on Invasive (Invader) for trainer Annabel Neasham on February 24, and on Flying Bat (Flying Artie) for trainer Robert Quinn at Gosford on March 16.
His mount, Hasime (Denman), trained by Robert Quinn, fell during the third race, bringing down two other runners whose riders, Shaun Guymer and Jeff Penza, both walked back to the weighing-room. None of the horses involved were seriously injured.
