IN GENERAL, no decent person wants any animal to die of anything other than natural causes.
But of course it happens every day of the week. It definitely happens in horse racing, but on the basis no thoroughbred horse would ever be born without the sport and in the knowledge that the majority of horses that race have incredible lives those of us who love this game can easily justify its existence.
Once again, after the ridiculously harsh treatment of future European Melbourne Cup contenders, the Australian authorities have been on the back foot after a horse passed in action at the jumps fixture at Warrambool.
Fulmineus was an old boy in a chase, but he paid the ultimate price. As with any horse in a field, they can be injured at any moment.
Statistically jumps racing in Australia is incredibly safe.
Considering the nature of the sport, it’s actually surprising that not more than seven horses have died in action over obstacles at Warrambool since 2016
Jumps fatalities have halved in Australia in the last decade. A raft of reforms has made the obstacles safer, the horses better prepared.
The death of Fulmineus, while widely unnoticed, was not lost on Racing Victoria chairman Brian Kruger.
But like so many Down Under rather than promote the positives he opted for the impossible.
“Our aim has to be zero fatalities,” Kruger said.
“That is far more difficult in jumps racing but we have to do everything we can to aim for zero.”
So let’s get this straight. There will always be fatalities. Horses in the wild die.
Promote what is fantastic about being a racehorse. And never try fool anyone about what is impossible.
Speaking of Australian racing, the brilliant Jamie Kah is on the verge of becoming Victorian metro’s champion jockey. IN doing so she will be the first female to achieve the feat. Inspiration, if any was needed, for Hollie Doyle.
Extraordinary scenes in the US where Medina Spirit returned a post-race blood sample above the permitted threshold for the anti-inflammatory drug betamethasone after his win in the Kentucky Derby, which his trainer Bob Baffert labelled “the biggest gut-punch I’ve had”.
What is incredible here is the only reason we know about Medina Spirit’s failed test is because Baffert got on the front foot and told everyone. At the time of writing no official has revealed any details. Just Baffert. That is odd. Very strange indeed. What happens next will be interesting. Watch this space!
Bolshoi Ballet propelled himself to the top of the Cazoo Derby betting with a powerful success in Ireland over the weekend for Aidan O’Brien. He looks very good.
We’ll learn more at the Dante meeting this week, one of my favourite fixtures of the year although sadly I’ll be watching at home on the sofa like many of you.
The ITV crew there are in for a real treat in the Musidora on Wednesday when my Sky Sports Racing horse to follow Teona takes on Noon Star.
Both could be very, very good. Yeeehaaa!
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A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
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