Horse racing-Irish jockey dies after race fall in Australia

SYDNEY, Jan 28 (Reuters) Damien Murphy, a young Irishman who came to Australia to pursue his dream of becoming a jockey, has died after an horrific race fall.

Murphy died this night after doctors switched off his life support system at a Sydney hospital, Australian Associated Press reported.

Murphy, 23, had not regained consciousness after crashing to the turf when his mount Ajay's Luck clipped the heels of another runner nearing the finish of a race at Wellington in rural New South Wales on Friday.

Murphy was airlifted to Sydney but suffered a heart attack and slipped into a coma. He was kept on a life support system long enough for his mother and sister to fly from Ireland and be by his bedside.

Ajay's Luck broke down after the fall and was destroyed.

REUTERS SP KP2013