Darwin Turf Club: 06/09/2019
TRNT Stewards Report – Thursday 5th September, 2019
Panel: D Hensler, R Hamilton, A Napier
Venue: Darwin Stewards’ Room
On Wednesday 4 September, 2019, the TRNT Stewards conducted an inquiry into the reason why jockey Melanie Tyndall was dislodged from her mount RESTLESS during the running of Race 3, the Airnorth/No Need for Holiday Envy Handicap run over 1100m at the Darwin Turf Club race meeting conducted on Saturday 31 August, 2019.
After she was dislodged, Melanie Tyndall received immediate medical assistance from the on-course paramedics. She was then transported by St John Ambulance to Royal Darwin Hospital but despite the best efforts of the medical professionals, she passed away.
At the inquiry evidence was taken from jockeys Barry Huppatz (TWILIGHT MANEUVER), Jarrod Todd (MY SNIP) and Carl Spry (BON AIRE). Australian Jockeys’ Association National WHS officer Kevin Ring also attended the proceedings.
After considering the evidence and viewing the race day patrol vision, it was established that whilst rounding the home turn jockey Melanie Tyndall, who was riding her mount along, raised her whip in her right hand and used it in a backhand manner, making contact with her mount’s off shoulder. Shortly thereafter the gelding shifted out slightly of its own accord and as a result its off-fore hoof contacted with the near-hind heel of TWILIGHT MANEUVER. As a consequence RESTLESS mistrode near the 300m and jockey Melanie Tyndall became unbalanced and was dislodged over the off side of her mount.
The Stewards determined that this incident was of an accidental nature and the result of RESTLESS shifting ground and that there were no other contributing factors that had any bearing on the incident.