Jockey Bretham (Brett) Tai has died in a single car accident after riding at Newcastle on Saturday.

The 37-year-old Singaporean recently arrived in Australia where he was sponsored by John McNair and was based at the trainer's Central Coast property.

Racing NSW said unconfirmed reports were that the car may have swerved to avoid an object and collided with a pole.

Earlier that day Tai had ridden Sun Command into fourth place for McNair in the first race at Broadmeadow.

Brett had ridden 137 winners in Singapore and Malaysia before coming to Australia.

First indentured to Margaret Mullins in Malaysia in 1994, Tai completed his apprenticeship under leading trainer Malcolm Thwaites in Singapore.

He was granted a jockey's licence by the Singapore Turf Club on in 2000 and won a Gold Cup during his career there.

His wife, brother and sister-in-law arrived in Australia on Monday and were met by Racing NSW's Maurice Logue and racing chaplain Colin Watts.