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<\/p>\nCHAMPION jockey Filip Minarik has tragically died aged 48 just three years after a horrific fall left him with a devastating brain injury.<\/p>\n
Labelled a 'f***ing miracle' by close pal Frankie Dettori, Minarik recovered from being in a coma for several weeks but had to live with the awful effects of his tumble.<\/p>\n
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Sun Racing columnist Matt Chapman broke the news of his death online.<\/p>\n
He wrote: "So sad to report former four-time German champion jockey and Prague-born Filip Minarik has passed.<\/p>\n
"Life was so hard for him after a horrific fall at Mannheim in 2020. Loved the guy – and he loved the sport.<\/p>\n
"Leaves behind a young daughter – she will one day know her dad was a star."<\/p>\n
While Arc-winning jockey Luke Morris posted a photo of himself posing with Minarik in Germany just last Sunday.<\/p>\n
A statement from Deutscher Galopp read: "Multiple champion jockey Filip Minarik passed away on Monday aged just 48 years old.<\/p>\n
"Filip began his career in Germany in 1992 at the Munich Gallop racetrack, winning over 1600 races, including 14 Group 1 races alone.<\/p>\n
"He was on the racetrack at the Big Week in Baden-Baden on Saturday and Sunday.<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n "After a hard crash on July 3 2020 in Mannheim he had to end his active career as a jockey, but remained loyal to the German turf as an ambassador of canter racing.<\/p>\n "German racing mourns Filip and will never forget him."<\/p>\n Minarik, who appeared on Sky Sports Racing's Shergar Cup coverage last year, was given just a 50-50 chance of survival after the terrible incident at Mannheim racecourse.<\/p>\n The jockey, who rode almost 2,000 winners throughout his career, was unseated from his ride coming round a bend and crashed into the turf head-first.<\/p>\n He lay motionless on the track with a broken leg and ankle before being rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.<\/p>\n Minarik recalled how his wife Katja did not sleep for five days as she sat by his side praying for good news.<\/p>\n He feared he would be wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life when he woke from his coma but showed amazing heart and courage to walk again.<\/p>\n Remembering how he felt when he came to, Minarik previously said: "I was extremely scared. I woke up in a part of the hospital where most people were in wheelchairs.<\/p>\n "I called fellow jockeys Freddie Tylicki, Christian Zschache and Peter Heugl to ask them about life in a wheelchair.<\/p>\n "I was so scared that I could be wheelchair-bound. They told me, 'We did it, and if that's the case, you can do it too'."<\/p>\n Minarik could not remember anything from his fall and his memory suffered as a result.<\/p>\n He said: "It is a big, black hole. When I realised I couldn\u2019t remember anything it was pure panic. I had incredible fears.<\/p>\n "I have watched the accident on video replay.<\/p>\n "It\u2019s something that could happen in any race, in a Group 1 or a bad race at Mannheim, and it did happen in a bad race in Mannheim."<\/p>\n A GoFundMe page set up to aid Minarik's recovery raised more than \u00a3100,000.<\/p>\n He got back to his feet and never lost his love of horses – though a return to riding was out the question.<\/p>\n Racing fans were quick to pay tribute to a huge character in the sport who won supporters the world over.<\/p>\n One said: "This is incredibly sad news. A great jockey."<\/p>\n Another commented: "Such tragic news, he was a true legend and fighter."<\/p>\n While one post read: "Very sad. Tragic news. A real gentleman. RIP Filip."<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/crop-23801854.jpg\")
<\/picture>\nRags-to-riches superstar horse Pyledriver retired aged six due to injury<\/h3>\n<\/section>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/TB-COMBO_FIVER_TUE.jpg\")
<\/picture>\nHamilton runner is tumbling down weights and loves this course and distance<\/h3>\n<\/section>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/TB-COMBO_TEMPLEGATE-TIPS-TUESDAY.jpg\")
<\/picture>\nMy NAP can take big step to Cesarewitch glory with warm-up win at Goodwood<\/h3>\n<\/section>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/crop-22584547.jpg\")
<\/picture>\nPoor jockeys will have the heating on as the rest of us bask in this sunshine<\/h3>\n<\/section>\n
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