Grade 1-winning Japanese jockey Kota Fujioka dies aged 35 following mid-race fall

Kota Fujioka has died aged 35 after suffering severe injuries in a mid-race fall at Hanshin on Saturday, the Japan Racing Association has announced. 

The Grade 1-winning jockey, who won 803 races in Japan, sustained head and chest injuries after being unseated in the seventh race and died in hospital. 

Veteran rider Yutaka Take said: "I have never felt this much pain and sadness. I can't believe it. Going forward, I want to race with thoughts of Kota in my heart."

Fujioka was twice successful at the top level, including when landing the 2009 NHK Mile Cup on Jo Cappuccino at Tokyo racecourse for Kazuya Nakatake. 

In November, he stepped in at short notice for Ryan Moore, who was ruled out after injuring his back in a fall, to partner Namur in the Mile Championship at Kyoto. 

Fujioka's death comes a week after the racing community mourned the loss of popular jockey Stefano Cherchi, who died aged 23 following a fall in Australia.