At Redcar racecourse, just before the fifth race, 3-year-old gelding Kameko Fever was being readied in the parade ring. Just before the race, a pre-race check was carried out by a 25-year-old member of Richard Fahey’s stable staff, who stepped in close to inspect the horse’s gear and stirrups. The gelding, making his eighth career start and wearing the No.3 cloth, initially appeared calm, but out of nowhere lifted its hind legs and kicked her with brute force. The impact caught her off guard and left her injured, landing her in the hospital for treatment.

On May 26, Chloe Briody was walking alongside Kameko Fever ahead of a Class 6 seven-furlong race when the kick struck her in the ribs, leaving her winded. The entire incident was streaming live on a global feed of the event. The scene left onlookers stunned, and screens were put up around her as medical staff rushed in immediately to help.

She was taken to the hospital by ambulance for checks, where X-rays were also carried out. Trainer of the Kameko Fever, Richard Fahey, later confirmed to The Mirror, “It was one of my girls, Chloe, and she is fine. She went to hospital in an ambulance, they took an X-ray, and everything is fine.“

On 27 May, Redcar racecourse also issued a statement confirming the staff member was treated quickly at the scene and later checked into the hospital. They added, “Having spoken to the stable this morning, we are happy to confirm that the member of staff is fine apart from some bruising. She will be back on her feet soon and we wish her well.” But the question arises, why did the horse react this way?

One possible factor is the use of blinkers, which this 3-year-old gelding was wearing. These are designed to limit side vision so the horse stays focused straight ahead. But that also means sudden movement from the side can startle them. In situations like parade ring checks, when someone steps in close or moves near the hind area, a horse can react instantly without warning. In this case, Broidy, who handles thoroughbreds at Fahey’s North Yorkshire base, approached from the right side, which may have played a part in the reaction.

One racing fan also commented, “It comes up from behind, and for sure the usual side of the horse is the left, so naturally it reacted out of fear and wasn’t expecting it.”

Despite the incident, Kameko Fever finished 11th of 13 runners after being sent off at 9-2 under jockey Ethan Tindall. However, the clip has gone viral on social media and has garnered more attention than the race itself. Although no serious injury was suffered in this case, it nevertheless pointed to a much broader truth in racing that when it is stable work, there is always danger.

Horse kicks in the racing stable yards led to tragic deaths

Back in 2017, racing was left in shock at Kempton Park when groom Ken Dooley, who was in his 50s, died after being seriously injured in the stable yard. An experienced member of trainer Amanda Perrett’s team, he was believed to have been kicked by a horse during routine handling at a race meeting. Emergency services were called, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

More recently, in 2025, Racing Victoria confirmed another fatal incident at the Cranbourne Training Centre, where a female stable employee died after being injured in the early hours of the morning.

In its statement, Racing Victoria said the worker was believed to have been kicked by a horse while carrying out her duties in the stables. The organisation described the news as deeply saddening and confirmed that emergency services attended the scene immediately. They added, “Victoria Police and WorkSafe are on site investigating the circumstances of the incident in which the stable employee is believed to have been kicked by a horse in the stables of her employer.”

Overall, these incidents show that working around horses is usually safe, but accidents can still happen, and sometimes they are fatal.