Racing mourns jockey Nathan Berry

Jockey Nathan Berry has died in a Sydney hospital hours after he was flown home to Sydney from Singapore.

SYDNEY'S racing fraternity is in mourning following the death yesterday of popular jockey Nathan Berry. He was 23.

What is supposed to be one of the most exciting weeks on the Sydney calendar — with the running of tomorrow's Golden Slipper — has suddenly become one of the saddest.

GALLERY - NATHAN BERRY'S LIFE IN PICTURES

TRIBUTES FLOW FOR NATHAN, GONE TOO SOON

Tragic: Jockey Nathan Berry with Whitney on their wedding day. Source: Supplied

Nathan Berry and then fiancee Whitney Schofield enjoy a day at the beach. Picture: Adam Head Source: News Limited

Nathan Berry in the jockeys' room at Warwick Farm. Source: News Limited

Berry was struck down with viral encephalitis a fortnight ago in Singapore, only to be later diagnosed with the much more serious Norse syndrome, which relates to epilepsy.

Tommy and Nathan Berry / Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: News Limited

Grief-stricken family members, including his wife of just two months Whitney Schofield and identical twin brother, jockey Tommy Berry, had made arrangements to have Berry brought home to Sydney on a charter flight after it became clear his condition would not improve.

He touched down yesterday and was taken straight to Royal North Shore Hospital, where he died just after 2pm.

Age: 23 Career: 351 wins Prizemoney: $14.6m Career highlight: Unencumbered's win in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast in January First stakes winner: Va Pensiero in the San Domenico Stakes Personal life: - Twin brother and fellow jockey Tommy Berry is a Group 1 winner who won the Golden Slipper on Overreach almost a year ago. - Married Whitney Schofield, daughter of South African-born Sydney based jockey Glyn Schofield in Sydney in February. - Father Kevin Berry is a trainer at Warwick Farm 2013-14 premiership season Wins: 51 Prizemoney: $3.6m

Berry's father-in-law, fellow jockey Glyn Schofield, late yesterday posted a wedding photo of Nathan and his daughter Whitney on Twitter, with the words: "The man we love so much and will miss even more. Losing you cuts so deep buddy. R.I.P."

The pair wed in February. Just weeks earlier Berry rode Unencumbered to victory in the $2 million Magic Millions Stakes on the Gold Coast — his biggest win. Berry was due to ride the same horse in tomorrow's Golden Slipper. Unencumbered is now sure to become a sentimental favourite among casual punters.

The horse's trainer, Bjorn Baker, was overcome with emotion when asked about Berry at an official Slipper function early yesterday, hours before the jockey died.

"It's been tough actually. We're good friends, he's good friends with my staff, and he's an absolute gentleman. He's mature beyond his years, and we miss him,'' he said.

Jockeys riding at yesterday's Wyong meeting were told the tragic news just before the final race. Many cried.

"You could have heard a pin drop when we told them,'' steward Greg Rudolph said.

"The mood was very sombre. We gave the jockeys the option of not riding in the last but they were all very professional and we ran the last race.''

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Jockey Nathan Berry with then-fiance Whitney Schofield / Picture: Adam Head Source: News Limited

Nathan met his wife Whitney through racing, and their relationship grew as he forged a strong friendship with her father and fellow jockey Glyn Schofield. Rivals on the course, they quickly became friends, and then family, away from the racetrack as Nathan and Whitney married in Sydney in February. Their marriage brought two of modern racing's most popular and formidable families together. Whitney's father Glyn is a regular rider in the Sydney ranks, coming head-to-head with both Tommy and Nathan almost every weekend. Glyn's son Chad Schofield is regarded as one of the finest young jockeys of the past decade. He won his first Group 1 race during last year's Melbourne spring carnival when Shamus Award became the first maiden to win the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. Tommy Berry has emerged as the No.1 rider for the powerful Gai Waterhouse stable. He won last year's Group 1 Golden Slipper aboard impressive filly Overreach in the highlight of his short career. Almost 12 months to the day, he is mourning the loss of his twin brother and best friend. On Twitter, Glyn Schofield revealed the pain his family was going through at Nathan's loss. "The man we love so much and will miss even more. Losing you cuts so deep buddy. R.I.P," Schofield tweeted. While fellow jockey Kerrin McEvoy, who is to ride race favourite Earthquake in Saturday's $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper  (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens. "Gone too young, a ripping young guy #NathanBerry RIP we will all miss you," McEvoy wrote. Before they left for their honeymoon and Nathan's four-month riding stint in Singapore, Whitney ran the Whitney Schofield Dance Academy in Sydney.

Jockey Nathan Berry on Ecostanati at Warwick Farm. Source: News Limited

Jockey Nathan Berry rides Unencumbered to the win in the Magic Millions / Picture: Adam Head Source: News Limited

It is not known if Tommy Berry, Schofield or fellow jockey Christian Reith — who rushed to Singapore to be by Nathan's bedside — will ride at Rosehill. Stewards have organised for counselling on-track.

Jockey Nathan Berry / Picture: Adam Head Source: News Limited

Nathan Berry at his wedding two months ago. Source: Supplied

Berry recently took up a four-month riding stint in Singapore and became ill late last month.

He was placed in an induced coma. Once diagnosed with Norse syndrome last Tuesday, there were grave concerns about the extent of damage to his brain caused by the sudden illness.

Nathan Berry winning race 2 on Hot Commodity during Randwick midweek races on the Kensington track. Source: News Limited

It is with great sadness that the Berry and Schofield families have requested that we advise of the passing of Mr Nathan Berry. Nathan was on a four-month riding contract in Singapore when he collapsed at trackwork on March 18, with doctors later diagnosing the young rider with Norse syndrome, an acute form of epilepsy. Nathan, 23, along with twin brother Tommy, was apprenticed to his father Kevin who trained at Warwick Farm and the pair quickly established themselves as top class jockeys. Nathan rode more than 350 winners with his biggest win coming only months ago when successful aboard Unencumbered in the $2 million Magic Millions on the Gold Coast. He rode three winners in the short time he was in Singapore. Brother Tommy dedicated his win in the opening race at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday to his ill brother and emotionally punched the air as he passed the post on The Offer. Nathan married Whitney Schofield, daughter of top jockey Glyn Schofield, on February 2 and she kept a bedside vigil throughout his illness. "The entire racing industry is extremely distraught with the news of Nathan's passing," said Mr Peter V'landys, Racing NSW's Chief Executive. "Sadness is not a sufficient word to describe this tragedy. We are all very distressed and could not imagine the grief the family must be going through. "This was a young man that had the world at his feet. He won the Magic Millions in January and rose to the top of the ranks so quickly that he was offered a contract to ride in Singapore. "You would not meet a family more grounded and genuine than the Berry family. They are the most diligent and hard-working people I know. "Our sincere condolences go out to the Berry and Schofield families and Nathan's wife Whitney."

Jockey Nathan Berry, on his wedding day to Whitney, just two months ago. Source: Supplied

Jockey Nathan Berry with then-fiance Whitney Schofield / Picture: Adam Head Source: News Limited

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