Michael Owen has opened up on the death of staff member Jessica Whalley at his racing stables, describing it as the “worst day of my life”.
Whalley, a senior member of the travelling staff at Owen’s Manor House Stables in Cheshire and former beauty queen, collapsed and died after riding out last month.
Emergency services were called to the yard but were unable to revive Whalley whose death is not being treated as suspicious by Cheshire Police.
Owen, who was reported to have been in tears with the rest of the team by his trainer Hugo Palmer on the day of the tragedy, has given an interview to Sky Sports Racing.
He said: “It was a tragic incident that could have happened at any time. Nothing can really prepare you for something like that.
“A young girl who was supremely talented at what she did, who was massively popular, a real important member of the yard, the staff and everything else.
He continued: “Lots of people will be out there feeling the same thing. They will have lost somebody close to them or family member of whatever it is. What words can you say to describe it?
“Being there and being part of the whole day with the ambulance staff, who were amazing. Having to come down and tell 40 or her friends what’s happened and things like that, what can you say? It was the worst day of my life.”
Palmer said last month that Whalley, who had also worked for William Haggas and Sir Michael Stoute, was returning from the gallops on a three-year-old filly she had ridden out when the incident happened.
“Jess had worked the horse, pulled up at the top of the gallop and was then returning to a trot, then a walk,” he said. “Jess slipped limply off the horse and didn’t move.
He added: “She died doing a job that she appeared to love and was certainly very good at. She was exceptionally capable.”
