Riverton jockey Rebecca Black has died after a fall in a race at Gore, near Invercargill on the South Island of New Zealand.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the jockey's death after they were called to the scene just after 4pm on Sunday.

The death will be referred to the coroner and police were preparing a report, the spokeswoman said.

The Tapanui Racing Club meeting was abandoned following the fall in race eight that saw Point Proven, ridden by Black, and Misscattlecreek and its jockey Terry Moseley, fall to the track with around 700m to run.

It is understood that two of Black's three children were on course at the Tapanui meeting.

Black's former husband Kelvin Tyler was devastated.

The Riverton trainer was on course and had many runners at the meeting.

"It's shocking what's happened," he said.

"She was a good person. We were married and even though we were separated, we were still the best of mates," Tyler said.

Black still rode horses occasionally for Tyler.

She was a senior jockey but during her apprenticeship she was under the guidance of apprentice jockey mentor Willy Harnett.

"It's a tragic situation," Harnett said.

"She was such a likeable person, it's very sad."

Black rode 108 winners during her career.

Misscattlecreek was euthanased following the incident.

 - Stuff