KEY POINTS:
Jockey Rebecca Peters has died today from injuries sustained in a fall from a horse at Christchurch's Riccarton racecourse yesterday.
Peters, 31, died just after midnight after receiving serious head and spinal injuries when tossed from a horse at jumping trials, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing said today.
The accident happened when horses were being schooled over fences to qualify them for raceday jumping events.
In the last event of the morning the horse Centalac, a six-year-old gelding ridden by Peters, hit the sixth hurdle and dislodged her.
"Rebecca was thrown from the horse and received head, spine and lung injuries," NZTR spokesman Simon Cooper said.
The accident occurred on the grass training track about 100 metres before the finish line.
Ambulance officers attended to Peters at the scene and stipendiary steward Stewart Ching travelled with her to Christchurch Hospital.
The jockey's mother, Helen Peters, was called to the hospital and Ching spoke briefly to her.
NZTR said Hornby police were investigating the accident and had inspected the scene together with Ching and racecourse inspector Robin Scott.
Canterbury Jockey Club racecourse manager Jim Langan said today: "It's a tragic accident.. a terrible accident. Our thoughts go out to her family," Langan said.
NZTR officials and Labour Department inspectors are to examine the track this morning.
The accident has occurred at a difficult time for racing officialdom on track safety, with the Labour Department making a series of recommendations last week following an accident at the Rangiora track last October in which prominent jockey Judy Lawson suffered serious head injuries.
Peters' death follows that of teenage apprentice Sam McRae in a fall at Riverton, Southland, in 2005. His foot became entagled during a race in a riding iron and he was dragged along the turf for about 900 metres.
Two other South Island jockeys -- Ray Hewinson and Jo McGartland -- died in separate race falls in 2002.
"NZTR offers its deepest sympathy to Rebecca's family," Cooper said today.
- NZPA
