Three-time Group 1-winner Riff Rocket has died following complications relating to colic surgery.

The Chris Waller-trained VRC Derby winner underwent surgery to address a complication with his bowel last week and while his initial recovery appeared promising sadly he was unable to overcome the persistent issues.

In a statement, Chris Waller paid tribute to his star galloper.

“Riff Rocket's career as a three-year-old was nothing short of remarkable,” Waller said.

“He captured the Victorian Derby in 2023, followed by victories in the Rosehill Guineas and the Australian Derby in 2024, along with other prestigious wins. He was also honoured as the New South Wales Three-Year-Old of the Year for the 2023-24 racing season.

“This is a heartbreaking loss not only for the Kepitis family, but also for the entire team at Chris Waller Racing. Riff Rocket will forever hold a special place in our hearts, remembered for the fighting spirit he displayed both on the racetrack and in his final days.

“Our thoughts go out to all those who had the privilege of working with and supporting Riff Rocket throughout his career. He will be deeply missed, but his legacy will continue to inspire us all.”

From his 12 career starts, Riff Rocket won seven times and was only out of the placings in two races during his short career.

Checks are to be introduced in two stages. Initial proposals in the government's white paper had set a first tier of financial vulnerability checks at £125 net loss within a 30-day period or £500 within a year.

However, in the plans set out by the commission, that will change to those checks happening for customers with a net deposit of more than £150 a month on gambling, focusing on publicly available data. The checks will initially come into force at £500 a month from August 30 before reducing to £150 a month from February 28 next year.