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By Bill Poulos

This Saturday is Coolatai Rural Supplies Anipro Warialda Cup day where a pall of sadness will hang over the picturesque Warialda Racecourse as family, friends, colleagues and members of the racing community pause to remember popular jockey Darren Jones, one of the true greats of bush racing.

Jones was tragically killed in a three-horse fall at Warialda 12 months ago when his mount Montague Clan, trained at Moree by Peter Sinclair,  blundered and fell in the 1000m Warialda Sprint. Now, one year later, the pain is still raw for Darren’s wife Sheridan and their two boys, Jacob and William.

Darren Jones - image by Janian McMillan

“The last 12 months have been incredibly hard but I’ve been very, very fortunate that I’ve had a tremendous amount of support from my family and friends, and the racing community at large has been wonderful,” Sheridan said.

“Pete (Sinclair) has been unbelievable and without a doubt he has been my biggest supporter in the racing community.

"(Hunter and North-West chief steward) Shane Cullen has been wonderful also and, as we get closer to the 12 months since it happened, Peter Caskey, the Warialda Jockey Club president, has been quite generous with his time and has been very supportive,” she said.

“But my family and Darren’s family, as well as all my work colleagues, and Pete Sinclair and Shane Cullen, have by far given me the greatest support during the last 12 months. They have all been so wonderful.”

Senior rider Leanne Henry and apprentice Melanie Bolwell were also dislodged in the horrific fall.

Click here for the full story - Darren Jones to be remembered at Warialda