Racing around the world is mourning the loss of multiple German Champion Jockey Filip Minarik, who passed away at the age of 48.
The Prague-born rider amassed a total of 1,669 winners according to German records, including a remarkable fourteen successes at Group 1 level.
He achieved an impressive 18.2 million euros in prize money and was named German Champion Jockey in 2005, 2011, 2016 and 2017.
It wasn't just in Germany that Minarik plied his trade with the popular figure representing Team Europe in the 2019 Shergar Cup, while he also spent plenty of winters riding in Japan.
Filip Minarik, who was best known for his association with Ivanhoe, landed both the Group 1 Grosser Preis Von Baden and Grosser Preis von Bayern on the popular Jean-Pierre Carvalho-trained colt.
A horrific life-threatening fall onboard longshot Dusky Dance at Mannheim in July 2020 forced him to retire from the saddle, but he remained heavily involved in the sport as an ambassador for German thoroughbred racing.
"With Filip Minarik, we are losing a valued colleague and true friend who loved horse racing since he was a child. I am shocked and deeply affected," said Daniel Krüger, managing director of Deutscher Galopp.
Other racing figures from around the world have taken to social media to pay their respects and tributes to the German-based star.
Matt Chapman, racing presenter and pundit, said: "So sad to report former four-time German champion jockey and Prague-born Filip Minarik has passed.
"Life was so hard for him after a horrific fall at Mannheim in 2020. Loved the guy - and he loved the sport.
"Leaves behind a young daughter - she will one day know her dad was a star."
Last year's Arc-winning jockey Luke Morris posted a photo of himself with Minarik at Baden-Baden racecourse last Sunday.
He said: "A very very sad day, RIP Filip. Fantastic jockey and an even better person."
