The racing community is in mourning following the tragic death of jockey Paul Kavanagh, who was killed in a car accident on Christmas Eve. He was aged just 20.
According to reports, the crash occurred at around 2am local time on Wednesday near Bruree in County Limerick, Ireland. The news has sent shockwaves through the industry.
A native of Tuam in County Galway, Kavanagh had been riding for leading jumps trainer Enda Bolger in recent seasons and had also worked with trainers including Eric McNamara and John McConnell.
Bolger paid an emotional tribute to the young rider, describing him as an exceptional young man.
“We’re devastated. He was the most polite, well-mannered and well-brought-up young man we ever had anything to do with,” Bolger told the Racing Post. “He was a credit to his parents. I can’t imagine what they are going through.”
Kavanagh rode his first winner under rules for Bolger in June when partnering Gimme A Buzz to victory at Clonmel, a moment that marked a promising start to his career in the saddle.
Tributes have continued to flow from across the racing world as colleagues and connections remember Kavanagh for both his talent and character.