Top international jockey Stefano Cherchi has died two weeks after a race fall at a Canberra meeting.
NSW Jockeys announced the news on Wednesday night.
Cherchi, 23, was Italian but had travelled Down Under to ride in Australia for a period of time.
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He was one of three jockeys and horses involved in a horror fall during the Thoroughbred Park meeting on March 20.
Cherchi’s mount Hasime fell as the field passed the 800m marker.
Two other horses – Epic Statement ridden by Jeff Penza, and Dunjenni ridden by Shaun Guymer – collided with the fallen Hasime and also fell.
Penza and Guymer escaped with relatively minor injuries but Cherchi was placed in an induced coma following the incident.
He remained in hospital until he passed away on Wednesday.
The Italian had arrived in Australia early this year and had been based at Sydney’s Warwick Farm.
He had previously been an apprentice in the stables of leading English trainer Marco Botti and rode more than 100 winners in the UK.
Cherchi had scored two winners in his time riding in Australia before the fall.
A minute’s silence was observed at a meeting at England’s Kemtpon Park after the news made its way to the UK.