Marnie Kelly, the partner of Gympie trainer Tony Haydon, instrumental in the career of champion mare Black Caviar, has sadly died following a medical episode last Monday, 12 May.
According to reports on a GoFundMe page originally created to help with medical bills after the event, Ms Kelly, Mr Haydon’s partner for 20 years, was found unresponsive at the couple’s home by Mr Haydon.
It is reported that he immediately launched into CPR until the ambulance arrived to take her to the hospital.
Due to the seriousness of her condition, Ms Kelly was transferred to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, where she was placed on life support.
The original GoFundMe page was started two days later by Mel, Mr Haydon’s sister, who said the cause of Ms Kelly’s collapse was unknown and that the fundraising goal of $16,000 was to help the couple with their medical bills and living expenses.
Sadly, the campaign page was updated on Thursday to say that Ms Kelly was not getting any oxygen to her brain, and that the decision had been made to turn off the life support.
“Unfortunately, scans yesterday have revealed there is no oxygen getting to Marnie’s brain,” the post said.
“A decision has been made to turn her life support off this afternoon or tomorrow to allow Tony and Marnie’s family time to say goodbye.
“It is with absolute heartbreak that we are now raising money to cover funeral and upcoming expenses for the near future.”
Mr Haydon was a strapper for the racehorse Black Caviar, according to a Racing Queensland article from 2023.
“I travelled to England with Black Caviar when she won the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot in 2012,” Mr Haydon is quoted as saying.
“Haydon and his partner of 20 years Marni (sic) Kelly, were part of the Black Caviar success story which saw the champion mare win 15 Group 1s in her unbeaten 25-start career,” the article goes on to say.
Mr Haydon also worked for Peter Moody, a well-known trainer in racing circles, for many years.
Mr Moody’s wife, Sarah, was the top donor to the GoFundMe campaign, which, as of Tuesday morning, had raised $23,500.
Anyone wanting to donate can do so at gofund.me/af13d587
