Race run in memory of Stefano Cherchi staged in Sardinia on Friday night

A race in memory of jockey Stefano Cherchi, who died in Australia in April as a result of injuries he sustained in a fall in a race at Canberra, was staged at his hometown track in Sassari, northern Sardinia on Friday evening.

The floodlit course, known as Hippodrome Pinna, was the venue for the race which is a circuit the 23-year-old knew well and was close to where he was born in Mores, about 30 kilometres south east of Sassari.

Those in attendance were the late jockey’s girlfriend Brittany Fallon, who had travelled from Dubai, as well as her father Kieren and mother Julie, who had both flown in from Britain.

Cherchi rode his first winner in Britain in 2019 and went on to partner over 100 more, a spell when he was attached to the Amy Murphy and Marco Botti stables. He relocated to Australia in November and had ridden two winners.

His funeral was held at San Giuseppe Catholic Church in Sassari on April 20, which is just a few furlongs from Hippodrome Pinna and which was packed to the rafters with mourners. Later there were similar numbers at memorial services held for him in Canberra and back in Newmarket. 

A gofundme page set up by Botti for donations to Cherchi's family has generated nearly £65,000. 

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'You're never prepared for it to happen to people you know and love' - Cieren Fallon back riding after death of close friend Stefano Cherchi