AT EARLY AGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 200, 25 August 1936, Page 4

AT EARLY AGE

J. PRATT DEAD LEADING SYDNEY RIDER SYDNEY, Aug. 24. I The death has occurred of J. Pratt, I aged 21 years, one of Australia’s lead- | mg jockeys. Pratt’s condition had been critical since his collapse while riding work at Moorefield on August 11. Prior to that fall he had suffered a nervous breakdown as a result of the death of his fiancee, who predeceased him by a little over a month. The injury that was the direct cause of the late J. Pratt’s death was suffered at the Moorefield track while he was riding work. He had ridden two horses, and when he reached the post on Windfall he apparently fainted. In falling, his head struck the ground. Windfall was pulling up at the time, and went only a few yards after the rider had lost control. Pratt was taken to the St. George Hospital with concussion, and later taken to St. Vincent’s private hospital. The fall seemed to bring a recurrence of the nervous trouble from which Pratt had been suffering. He had just returned from a short holiday in the country.