Posted on the 1st March 2016
Eleven horses were killed on British racecourses in as many days during February – a death toll that serves as a depressing curtain-raiser for the Cheltenham Festival (March 15-18), which itself is a graveyard for horses*.
The eleven deaths occurred at eleven different courses, highlighting the risks horses face every time they run on a British racecourse. The victims suffered a range of catastrophic injuries, including a broken leg, a broken pelvis, or they ‘collapsed and died’ – probably from a heart attack.
Says Animal Aid Horse Racing Consultant, Dene Stansall:Â
‘Horse racing makes ruthless use of horses, gambling with their lives in the pursuit of money and what passes for glory in racing circles. The industry has done little of any consequence to stem the tide of deaths. It seems to prefer to remain silent on the issue – the eleven victims having passed virtually without public mention by racing figures. Animal Aid is bringing the fatalities to light in the hope that even hardened punters, if they have a trace of compassion for animals, will withdraw their support for such a pitiless industry.’
* 22 horses have been killed at the Cheltenham Festival since Animal Aid launched its online database, Race Horse Death Watch, in March 2007.
| Race Horse’s Name | Date related to Death | Racecourse where they died |
| Netherby | 28-Feb | Southwell |
| Mon Successeur | 27-Feb | Kempton |
| Ballyglasheen | 27-Feb | Chepstow |
| Hey Up Ashey | 25-Feb | Sedgefield |
| Night In Milan | 24-Feb | Doncaster |
| Deputy Dan | 20-Feb | Haydock |
| Claret Cloak | 19-Feb | Lingfield |
| Marden Court | 19-Feb | Fakenham |
| Jajamcool | 19-Feb | Sandown |
| Neptune Equester | 18-Feb | Kelso |
| Crack Shot | 18-Feb | Chelmsford |
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