Marina Morel’s death prompts coronial inquest into jockey safety in Australia

Apprentice jockey Marina Morel died after a horse she was riding collapsed at the Gulgong Turf Club on 8 February 2022. The mare, Lina’s Choice, shattered a leg during a track work session, pinning Morel and leading to fatal injuries despite her being flown to Westmead Hospital in Sydney.

A coronial inquest into the circumstances began in March 2026 and resumed on 23 July 2026. Morel’s family, represented by her mother Maria, urged the court to examine whether the horse should have been allowed to run, citing that it had suffered a leg injury in March 2021 and was returned to training months earlier than recommended. The family called for reforms to prevent similar “preventable tragedies.”

Trainer Brett Thompson, who owned the horse, was among those questioned. The inquest heard testimony about the horse’s early return to training and the broader safety protocols for jockeys in Australian race‑track work.