Young British jumps jockey Campbell Gillies has died in a swimming accident while on holiday in Greece.
The 21-year-old made his mark when he partnered Brindisi Breeze to win at the Cheltenham festival earlier this year.
Gillies was attached to the Lucinda Russell yard in Kinross, Scotland.
“We learnt this morning that Campbell died as the result of a swimming accident while in Kavos, Greece,” Russell said on her website.
“Campbell was on a short holiday with one of our head lads, Mark Ellwood, and jockeys Nathan Moscrop, Henry Brooke and Harry Haynes.
“This dreadful news has hit the whole yard. He was a much loved, popular and respected member at Arlary, and it is so hard to lose part of our ‘family’.
“His victory at Cheltenham on Brindisi Breeze was the pinnacle of his career. The race epitomised him as a jockey.”
Champion jockey Tony McCoy wrote was among those to express their shock.
“Very sad news about Campbell Gillies a very good jockey but an even better bloke. All our thoughts are with his family RIP,” McCoy said on Twitter.
Gillies rode his first winner in the 2007-08 season and had 131 winners under his belt.
Last year was his best campaign to date with 38 winners and he was in action as recently as Sunday at Hexham.
Jockeys at the meeting at Beverley on Tuesday wore black armbands out of respect for the rider.
In a tragic twist, Gillies’ death follows that of the horse that made his name.
Brindisi Breeze who was killed last month in a freak accident when he escaped from his paddock and onto a road.
