A Typical Week’s Racing

Posted on the 25th October 2017

In a typical week’s horse racing across Britain, numerous horses have suffered – some in the most horrific circumstances.

Animal Aid looked at racing during the period Sunday 15 October to Saturday 21 October 2017. This list details only information that has been published, and therefore there may be more injuries and fatalities of which we are not aware.

15 Oct Arthur’s Oak broke his neck in a fall – and died
19 Oct Saradani Bay was injured racing and was destroyed
19 Oct Pick A Little was abused with the whip*
19 Oct Sussex Girl was abused with the whip
20 Oct Red House Hill injured a foreleg and was destroyed
21 Oct Torcedor was abused with the whip
21 Oct Order Of St George was abused with the whip
21 Oct Immortal Romance was abused with the whip
21 Oct Memories Galore was abused with the whip
21 Oct Oath Breaker pulled up during his race badly lame
21 Oct Hey Bill suffered a severe cut through a vein in a hind leg
Throughout the week a number of horses pulled up during their races suffering bleeding from the lungs – which saw them choking as blood gushed out of their nostrils.

* Abused with the whip. This term denotes that the jockey hit the horse with the whip above the permitted level of 7 times in a flat race and 8 times in a jump race.

Says Animal Aid’s Horse Racing Consultant, Dene Stansall:

‘The week started with the very bonny gelding, Arthur’s Oak falling at a fence and breaking his neck at Chepstow Racecourse. A couple of days later, youngster Saradani Bay, who was only three years old, was destroyed at Newcastle Racecourse. Fakenham Racecourse saw Red House Hill’s life taken from him after pulling up injured in a hurdle race.

All of the above have their own stories. This is extremely disturbing and similar incidents happen every week. The British Horseracing Authority is responsible for horse wefare, yet horses continue to die and to be abused on a weekly basis. The BHA’s role in relation to animal welfare must be questioned.’