Death of JT McNamara - A sad loss

ONE of the saddest events of the sporting year has occurred with the death of jockey John Thomas McNamara. A leading Irish amateur rider, he had over 600 career victories and was a four-time Cheltenham Festival winner.

JT was a courageous rider and broke practically every bone in his body over the years.

Every jockey’s nightmare came to pass when he was paralysed following a serious fall at Cheltenham in 2013 when thrown from his mount, Galaxy Rock.

It is a testament to his courage, resilience, and the friendships he forged over the years that so many well-known people from the world of racing and beyond have expressed shock and sadness at his passing.

One good thing that came out of his devastating accident was how it galvanised the racing community. The Jockeys Emergency Fund jumped from €8,584 in 2012 to over €1m in the aftermath of his accident.

To his wife Caroline and three children Dylan, Harry, and Olivia, we extend our deepest sympathies.