Stable staff employee dies in trackwork accident in Australia

A female stable employee died after an incident at the Cranbourne Training Centre in Australia on Tuesday morning.

Racing Victoria, in a short statement, said it is understood the employee was kicked by a horse while working in the stables of her employer.

"It is with great sadness that Racing Victoria confirms that a female stable employee has tragically passed away following an incident at the Cranbourne Training Centre this morning," the statement read.

"Victoria Police and WorkSafe are on site investigating the circumstances of the incident in which the stable employee is believed to have been kicked by a horse in the stables of her employer.

"RV and Southside Racing are offering assistance and support to her employer and the local racing community at this tragic time."

Trackwork at the Cranbourne Training Centre near Melbourne was closed following the incident.

Trainer and Bet365 Gold Cup-winning owner Charles Dingwall dies at the age of 79

Former trainer and bet365 Gold Cup-winning owner Charles Dingwall has died at the age of 79.

His best winner in the six years that he trained from Hill House at East Ilsley in Berkshire was Golden Rifle in the Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham in 1975.

As an owner, his greatest triumph came when the Alan King-trained Talkischeap took the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown by ten lengths in 2019.

Festival winner banned

Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer David Cottin has had his licence suspended for three months by France Galop stewards, following a request made by the French ministry of the interior. 

No details have been published concerning the motive for the request which originated from the Police des Jeux, the branch of law enforcement which deals with the racing and gambling sector. 

The request was first submitted by the ministry on behalf of the police on April 30, but Cottin successfully argued for a delay in proceedings while his legal team gathered the elements of their defence. He was granted what in French law is known as an 'adversarial hearing' – at which each party gets to question the other over what evidence they have – a meeting which took place on June 19. 

In granting the police request on June 24, France Galop has suspended Cottin's training licence as well as his rights as an owner and breeder until September 24.

Unlike a disciplinary ban, the decision can not be appealed through the sport's normal procedures, and instead is subject to a challenge through the courts, lending credence to reporting in the French media that the matter which has led to Cottin's suspension is not sports-related. 

In 2023 Cottin served a six-month ban – reduced on appeal from an initial 12 months – relating to the administration of the steroid Dexamethasone without observing the proper withdrawal periods. 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.