Tragic news in the search for missing former jockey Keith Banks after a body was found yesterday afternoon in the NSW Upper Hunter.
Emergency crews made the grim discovery on Friday as an extensive multi-agency coordinated land search was conducted to give his family some answers, after he went missing earlier this week.
The 81-year-old left his home Stewarts Road, Woolooma, east of Scone, on Monday at around 1pm in his Honda Civic.
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He then stopped at the Gundy General Store at around 1.30pm, where he bought food and asked for directions to Scone.
When family members couldn’t contact him that night, they called police, worried about his health.
On Wednesday afternoon, they found his car at Upper Rouchel.
“We have been unable to locate any connection for him to know where this trail with this road might lead to,” NSW Police Acting Inspector Todd Hobson said.
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“He’s never been up this way, as far as we’re aware.”
Today, emergency services scoured hilly terrain near the Barrington Tops, around where his family found his car.
Sadly, searchers discovered a body just before 3:30pm.
Police are now working to formally identify that body but it is believed to be that of the missing jockey, who rode in two Melbourne Cups across his 28-year racing career.
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