Apprentice dies after freak accident

A young apprentice jockey, who was kicked in a field by a racehorse in a “million to one” accident, has died after six days in hospital following brain surgery

Twenty-year-old apprentice jockey Phillip Greally from Newcastle, has died in hospital a week after he was kicked by a horse in a field.

Philip, a graduate of the Northern Racing College at Doncaster, had worked for racehorse trainer Mick Easterby at his yard in Sheriff Hutton, North Yorkshire, for four years.

According to reports, Phillip had noticed a loose strap on a rug on one of the horses in the field and had gone to fix it when another horse cantered past and lashed out catching theyoung jockey on the top of his skull.

Mick Easterby described the accident to the Newcastle Journal as “a chance in a million – I can’t believe how it happened.”

Phillip, who was said to be “a popular young man whose main love was horses”, was taken to York General. He was later transferred to Leeds General Infirmary for surgery, but never regained consciousness and died.

The family have asked that contributions be made to the Injured Jockeys’ Fund in memory of their son.

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