Lawlor, 21, dies in accident

Irish racing is mourning the death of promising apprentice Ronan Lawlor in a freak accident on the gallops on Tuesday morning.

The 21-year-old was working at Pat Fahy's yard when the horse he was riding tried to jink out to the right, catapulting the jockey out of the saddle and into a wooden stake.

Ambulance services soon arrived on the scene, but were unable to revive him.

"The horse was just finishing a piece of work and as Ronan was pulling him up, he jinked out to the right to try and go in a different direction," reported Fahy.

"The two of them had a bit of a battle as Ronan tried to get him back on track, but the horse just took off and Ronan came off the side and hit a timber stake.

"It all happened very fast and within a few seconds I was running over to try and help him.

"The ambulance came quickly and it is just very hard to take. He's been riding out for me since he was a kid and was part of a lovely family.

"His brother Gavin used to ride out for me and now works for Jim Bolger and I'd quite often meet up with the family down at the local pub.

"It's devastating for everyone."

Lawlor had ridden in 18 races on the Flat and was last summer apprenticed to County Tipperary-based trainer David Wachman.

"First and foremost, our sympathies go to his family after such a tragic accident," Wachman said. "He was with me last summer but was heading into the jumping game.

"You couldn't have come across a better person - he was hard-working and very honest.

"He was a top-class guy. Whatever he turned his hand to, you know he'd succeed."