Apprentice jockey Izzy Neale has died aged 22 after a fall during a race at Warren in country New South Wales, Australia. Her family confirmed on Tuesday evening, 10 November 2026, that she had passed away at Dubbo Hospital with her loved ones by her side, two days after the incident.
Neale was riding Marnoo in the Warren Shire Cotton Cup on Sunday, 8 November, when the horse suffered a catastrophic foreleg injury near the 400-metre mark. She was dislodged, lost consciousness on the track, and was airlifted to Dubbo Hospital in a critical condition, where she was placed on life support.
Tributes have poured in from across the racing world for a rider described as a shining light of the female apprentice ranks. Her death is the first on a New South Wales racetrack since jockey Darren Jones died from injuries suffered in a fall at Warialda in 2017.
Izzy Neale — Quick Reference Summary
| Detail | Verified fact |
|---|---|
| Name | Izzy Neale |
| Age | 22 |
| Role | Apprentice jockey, New South Wales, Australia |
| Trainer | Apprenticed to Brett Robb |
| Career record | 88 wins from 699 career starts |
| First city winner | It’s A Tata at Rosehill, Sydney, in July 2026 |
| Hometown | Born and raised in Merriwa, in the Upper Hunter region of New South Wales |
| The incident | Warren Shire Cotton Cup (1,600m), Warren races, Sunday 8 November 2026 |
| Horse | Marnoo, who suffered a fatal foreleg injury near the 400m mark and was euthanised |
| Hospital | Airlifted to Dubbo Hospital; placed on life support |
| Date of death | Tuesday evening, 10 November 2026, surrounded by family |
| Date of birth | Not publicly verified |
| Net worth / height / social handles | Not publicly verified |
The fall at Warren that claimed a rising star
Neale was competing in the Warren Shire Cotton Cup, a 1,600-metre race, when Marnoo broke down with a foreleg injury about 400 metres from the finish. The horse’s catastrophic injury threw Neale to the turf, where she lost consciousness and received immediate treatment from on-track paramedics.
Fellow rider Diego Montes de Oca was also dislodged in the incident, coming off Shadow Dane. Racing NSW’s integrity team later said he had suffered a suspected broken foot, a far less serious outcome than the one that befell Neale. Both riders were taken to Dubbo Hospital.
The final race of the Warren programme was abandoned after the incident, and Marnoo was euthanised after suffering the near foreleg injury. Neale had earlier ridden four races on the card, including a fourth-place finish aboard Tampa Bay in the opening race, and had ridden at Rosehill the previous Saturday, finishing unplaced on Nevermista.
From Merriwa to Rosehill: a career built on hard work
Born and raised in Merriwa, a small town in the Upper Hunter region of New South Wales, Neale had loved horses for as long as her family can remember. She spent time working at Muswellbrook for the late Pat Farrell and with Scone trainer Rod Northam before her apprenticeship with Brett Robb.
Her talent quickly marked her out as one of the state’s most promising young apprentices. She rode 699 races for 88 wins, and her first city winner came in July 2026, when she partnered It’s A Tata to victory in a TAB Highway Handicap at Rosehill Gardens, Sydney’s premier track. The win announced her as a rider with a genuine future at the top level of the sport.
Trainers who worked with her spoke of a rider with a radiant smile and a relentless work ethic. Top trainer John Thompson, for whom Neale worked at Randwick, was among those paying tribute as news of her death spread through the industry on Tuesday evening.
“Our beloved Izzy”: the family’s tribute
In a statement released through Racing NSW, Neale’s family said: “It is with deep sadness and broken hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Izzy, surrounded by her closest family and friends. We would like to thank Racing NSW and the NSW Jockeys Association for their care, compassion and support during this incredibly difficult time.”
Racing NSW and the NSW Jockeys Association both expressed their condolences, and the racing community across Australia and beyond has shared messages of grief. Monday’s meeting at Scone was transferred to Wednesday as the sport dealt with the shock of losing one of its brightest young talents.
The sport in Australia had been on a high following last week’s Melbourne Cup, and the mood has turned sharply. Tributes are expected to be paid to Neale at race meetings across New South Wales throughout the week.
What happens next for racing in New South Wales
Racing NSW’s integrity team will examine the circumstances of the fall, as it does after every serious racing incident, although nothing in the early reporting suggests anything other than a tragic accident. The focus for now, across the industry, is on supporting Neale’s family and the riders and staff who witnessed the fall.
Her death raises once again the question of safety in a sport where the risks are ever-present, even for riders as skilled and experienced as Neale had become in her short career. The industry’s response in the coming days will include tributes at tracks across the state, and the Scone meeting’s transfer shows how deeply the loss has been felt.
For British readers, the story is a reminder of how closely the racing world is connected across continents. The sport’s community in Australia is tight-knit, and the loss of a 22-year-old apprentice with 88 wins already to her name has been felt as keenly in Sydney as it would be at any track in Britain. Fox Sports reports the full details of the tragedy at Warren, while Racing and Sports carries the industry’s tributes to the young rider.
The week’s sporting calendar continues elsewhere, with Manchester United’s dramatic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa still dominating the football conversation, and Mauricio Pochettino emerging as a leading candidate for the Manchester United manager’s job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Izzy Neale?
Izzy Neale was a 22-year-old Australian apprentice jockey, apprenticed to trainer Brett Robb in New South Wales. She rode 699 races for 88 wins and was regarded as one of the state’s most promising young riders.
How did Izzy Neale die?
Neale was dislodged from her mount Marnoo during the Warren Shire Cotton Cup at Warren races on Sunday, 8 November 2026, after the horse suffered a fatal foreleg injury near the 400-metre mark. She lost consciousness, was airlifted to Dubbo Hospital in a critical condition, and died on Tuesday evening, 10 November, with her family by her side.
What happened to the horse Marnoo?
Marnoo suffered a catastrophic foreleg injury during the race and was euthanised. Another jockey in the incident, Diego Montes de Oca, was dislodged from Shadow Dane and suffered a suspected broken foot.
What was Izzy Neale’s biggest win?
Her first city winner came in July 2026, when she rode It’s A Tata to victory in a TAB Highway Handicap at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney, the premier track in New South Wales.
Was this the first racetrack death in New South Wales in years?
Yes. Neale’s death is the first on a New South Wales racetrack since Tamworth jockey Darren Jones died from injuries suffered in a three-horse fall at Warialda in 2017.
What did Izzy Neale’s family say?
In a statement released through Racing NSW, her family said: “It is with deep sadness and broken hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Izzy, surrounded by her closest family and friends.” They thanked Racing NSW and the NSW Jockeys Association for their care and support.
Myth-busting
Myth: Neale died instantly on the track. She did not. She lost consciousness in the fall and was airlifted to Dubbo Hospital, where she was placed on life support. She died two days later, on Tuesday evening, with her family by her side.
Myth: the fall was caused by interference from another horse. No reporting attributes the fall to interference. Marnoo suffered a catastrophic foreleg injury near the 400-metre mark, which dislodged Neale; fellow rider Diego Montes de Oca was also unseated, but the cause was the horse’s injury.
Myth: Neale was an inexperienced rider. She was an apprentice, but she had already ridden 699 races for 88 wins, including a city winner at Rosehill, and was widely regarded as one of New South Wales’ most promising young jockeys.
