Jockey lost to ‘cruel’ sport
THE sometimes “cruel” sport of horse racing has taken the life of much-loved jockey and police officer Melanie Tyndall.
She has been remembered as a “loving, caring and professional” police officer who was taken tragically “way before her time”.
NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said “she was well regarded and very well respected by the community”.
Australian Jockeys Association boss Martin Talty said yesterday the small NT racing community is reeling over the death of Tyndall, who was killed during a race at Fannie Bay racecourse.
“It is a sport that we all love, but sometimes it can be so cruel, and we’ve seen that in the last 24 to 48 hours,” Mr Talty said.
Tyndall, 32, fell off her horse after clipping heels with another runner at the 300metre mark during the third race. She received immediate treatment by the on-track paramedics but later died at the Royal Darwin Hospital.
Her death came less than 48 hours after Mikaela Claridge died after a track work fall in Cranbourne, Victoria.
Darwin Turf Club chairman Brett Dixon recognised horse racing as a “high-risk” sport.
“We have people in the industry that are passionate about racing, they understand the risks involved,” he said.
Tyndall, originally from Murray Bridge in South Australia, moved to Darwin in late 2012 to further her racing career with trainer Michael Hickmott.
He paid tribute to Tyndall on social media, saying “if people only knew the hurdles you conquered in your life to make what you did of yourself”.
“We were all so proud of what you achieved,” he said.
Darwin Turf Club chairman Brett Dixon said Tyndall quickly became part of the “small racing family” in Darwin.
In 2017, Tyndall took a break from racing to train as a police cadet, based predominantly in Katherine.
She returned to racing on a part-time basis last year and won her 150th race just a fortnight ago at the Katherine Cup.