A young jockey has died at the yard of a leading jump racing trainer in the third tragedy at the set-up in four years, according to reports.
Billy Moffat, 21, was working at Warren Greatrex Racing as a racing groom when he was found dead at his accommodation at the yard on Saturday.
As per the Sun, Moffat had been out on Friday night, with a source sharing that he had seemed ‘absolutely fine’ before he passed.
Moffat is thought to have worked with trainer Greatex for around three years, and he described the loss as ‘hugely upsetting’.
‘He was a great member of the team with a great sense of humour,’ Greatrex added in a short statement.
Fellow jockey Jack Wilmot shared his own tribute as per the outlet, writing: ‘Billy, words can’t describe the way I’m feeling.
Jump jockey and racing groom Billy Moffat died while working at the Warren Greatrex Racing yard on Saturday
Trainer Greatrex has shared that the tragedy is ‘hugely upsetting’ – and marks the third death at the yard in four years
‘I’m absolutely heartbroken, I’ll love you forever mate and will always carry you with me whatever I do.
‘Please, please, if you’re struggling with something, please talk to someone. Love you mate. Gone far too soon.’
The yard was previously rocked by the death of Michael Pitt, 19, in 2021, and less than one year later, the passing of David Thompson, 25, who were both found dead near the yard’s base in Hungerford, Berkshire.
In late 2022, Greatrex reflected on the two tragedies, saying that Thompson’s death in particular had been ‘as hard as anything I’ve been through in (his) life.’
‘Michael was just as we’d moved to Rhonehurst. That was horrible,’ Greatrex told the Racing Post. ‘He was such a character and to lose him – at a similar age to my boys – knocked everyone. It wasn’t easy.
‘Michael was a happy lad and it hit us, but David’s death hit me so hard.
‘I remember the policeman coming round and saying it was him and having to go out to the same members of staff and tell them in the same spot a member of their team had gone, and seeing them hit the floor again. It’s as hard as anything I’ve been through in my life.
‘To see the staff stick together made me proud. They work for me, but I count them as family.
‘You feel responsible for them and when two of them are gone, there are definitely questions. “What have I done?” you ask, but David wrote a letter saying the happiest days of his life were here.’
In the wake of the tragedy, Moffat’s family have set up a GoFundMe to cover his funeral costs, which at the time of writing, has reached £10,500 of its intended £13,000 target.