Queensland horseracing community in shock as jockey Leah Kilner remains in critical condition after fall in Grafton

Apprentice jockey Leah Kilner, 24, was riding Stella's Turn in race three when the horse fell in the home straight, dislodging the jockey from her mount.

Racing NSW said Kilner was lapsing in and out of consciousness on the track before being flown to the PA Hospital in Brisbane.

It said Kilner was placed in an induced coma and underwent surgery overnight to relieve pressure on her brain. She is also being assessed for spinal injures.

The horse was euthanased a short time after the incident.

Queensland Jockeys Association president Pam O'Neill said Kilner's family and the horseracing community were in shock.

"Her father seems to be dealing as best as he could, I only spoke to him," Ms O'Neill said.

"All our feelings go out to the family, I can only imagine what her mother and father are going through, so we're hoping there's going to be a good outcome.

"I've been speaking to a few of the jockeys and they're all concerned, they're a very tight fold, jockeys, when things happen like this, and we're just praying everything will come out alright, but I think she's got a fight ahead of her."

She said these types of incidents were rare.

"She was coming up the straight and the horse broke its leg and down she went, and apparently the horse laid on her for quite a while before they could move it.

"It's just one of those things. They say it's a dangerous sport, well so is crossing the road, you can get run over anytime."

Racing NSW said it would commence an investigation into the incident in the coming days, including an autopsy of the horse, Stella's Turn.

In February Kilner suffered broken ribs following a fall from a horse.

At the time she said she had been "extremely lucky to walk away with only minimal damage", and would be able to return to riding in a matter of weeks.

Racing NSW postponed the remaining six races on the program after Sunday's incident.

Kilner, an apprentice with Brisbane-based trainer Rob Heathcote, has ridden more than 200 winners during her time in the saddle.

Heathcote said on Sunday the jockey's mother had accompanied her on the flight from Grafton to the PA Hospital.

Kilner won 46 races during 2021-22 and had been closing in on her best-ever season of 54 winners in 2018-19.

Story By | Alex Brewster