Horse dies and jockey in hospital as followers say ‘by no means seen flip like that earlier than’
Tragedy struck Brighton Racecourse after a horrific collision left horse Virtue Chastity dead from a fractured shoulder and jockey Jack Dace in hospital
Horrified racegoers were left in shock after a ‘nasty’ collision at Brighton Racecourse
Horrified racegoers have been left devastated this afternoon after a “nasty” collision at Brighton Racecourse resulted in the tragic death of a horse and left a jockey in hospital. The drama unfolded during the 3.56pm Flat race on Sunday (June 21), leaving witnesses stunned by the brutal nature of the fall.
Both Racing Post and Racing TV have since confirmed the heartbreaking news that runner Virtue Chastity was fatally injured. Jockeys Ashley Lewis and Jack Dace were thrown to the ground following what was described as a “clip of heels” as the runners thundered down the hill.
Recalling the terrifying moment, a shaken Lewis said: “The horse in front of me came down and by the time I realised it had come down and tried to move out, I was already on top of it.”
Lewis, who was onboard Gretna Dreams, miraculously escaped serious injury and confirmed to broadcasters that he felt “fine”.
However, his fellow rider Jack Dace, partnering Virtue Chastity, bore the brunt of the horrific impact. Presenter Matt Chapman provided an update on the unfolding situation live on Sky Sports Racing.
“We’ve had a really horrible incident with two horses coming down the hill in our last race,” Chapman told viewers. “We know that Ashley Lewis is okay, his horse is okay at the moment.
“Jack Dace is conscious, he’s breathing, which is obviously the best news. All his limbs are working, and he’s been sent to the local hospital, just for a check-up as much as anything. So that sounds pretty hopeful, but of course, you can just never tell with these kind of injuries.”
Tragically, veterinary teams were unable to save Dace’s mount, Virtue Chastity.
Confirming the devastating loss, Brighton’s clerk of the course Jack Hastings said: “We did sadly lose Virtue Chastity, who sustained a fractured shoulder. We had to wait a little while, as we didn’t know if she was winded.
“From the footage, it appears to have happened because of clipped heels. Gretna Dreams is back in the stables. She was okay, but she will be assessed by the vets.”
Before the tragic outcome was officially confirmed, stunned racing fans took to social media to express their shock at the “ugly” scenes, with one witness claiming they had “never seen a horse flip like that on the flat.”
Another worried punter posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Just saw the replay of the incident that happened at Brighton in the 3:56, looked a very nasty clip of heels and the aftermath that unfolded was not pretty in the slightest!”
Popular account Paddock Preview shared their concern, writing: “Horrible incident at Brighton as two horses and jockeys come down during a Flat race. Thoughts with all concerned and fingers crossed for a good outcome.”
Officials completely halted proceedings following the crash, with racing delayed while emergency services cleared the track.
