As reported in the Herald Sun and on Racenet, the fall on the sand trail section at Cranborne racecourse in the early hours of the morning of August 30, 2019, and the subsequent death of jockey Mikaela Claridge from the critical head injuries she suffered in the incident, is set to have a further sequel, with legal action being launched against the Cranbourne Turf Club by Claridge’s family for pain and suffering they have endured since the incident.
Jockey Chelsea Hall is also believed to be a party to the legal action.
Negligence on the part of both the club and Saloon Park Ltd, the registered name of Ken Keys racing, Claridge’s employer at the time, has been alleged.
In February 2021, at the conclusion of a Worksafe Investigation, the race club was charged with six breaches of the Workplace Safety Act. Saloon Park was charged with one count of failing to provide a system of work.
A contested committal hearing did take place in November 2021.
Both the Cranbourne Turf Club and Saloon Park Ltd have pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges.
The matter is now due to go to trial in March next year.
