'Fundamentally un-Australian': PETA slams Melbourne Cup death

Animal rights group PETA has slammed the Melbourne Cup as “fundamentally un-Australian” and called for an investigation into the death of The Cliffsofmoher.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained horse suffered a fractured shoulder during Tuesday’s race and had to be euthanised, Racing Victoria executive Jamie Stier said in a statement.

“The horse received immediate veterinary care, however it was unable to be saved due to the nature of the injury sustained,” he said.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has called for an investigation into the death, which it described as “the most recent victim of the cruel annual spectacle known as the Melbourne Cup”.

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“Before they’ve even finished maturing, these 500-kilogram animals are forced to race at breakneck speeds while being whipped and pushed past their limits, supported on ankles as small as those of humans,” PETA said in a statement.

“Of course, horses die at lower-profile racing events all the time. During the last year 119 were pronounced dead on Australian tracks between August 2017 and July 2017 – that’s one animal every three days.

“They die of cardiac arrest, haemorrhaging, ruptured aortas, and broken necks, legs or pelvises, and that’s without mentioning the thousands of horses bred for the industry who don’t make the grade and are abandoned, neglected or sent to slaughter.

“Considering Australians hate cruelty to animals, commemorating a day on which horses routinely die in the Melbourne Cup is fundamentally un-Australian. While public holidays give Aussies a break, horses are breaking legs.”

It is the fourth time in the past six years that the Cup has been shrouded by the death of horses.

Stier said the injury to The Cliffsofmoher was an unfortunate incident that happened infrequently, claiming Victoria has one of the best safety records in world racing.

“Our sympathies are extended to Coolmore and the Williams family, the owners of The Cliffsofmoher, jockey Ryan Moore, trainer Aidan O’Brien and his staff who cared for the horse and are greatly saddened by their loss,” he added.

Deaths continue to overshadow the Melbourne Cup and shine a spotlight on the negative side of horse racing.

French-trained horse Verema had to be put down after an injury suffered in the 2013 Cup.

A year later, pre-race favourite Admire Ratki died after collapsing from heart failure in the stalls minutes after the race.

In the same 2014 race, import Araldo had to be euthanised because of an injury suffered when he was returning to scale.

Araldo placed seventh but was spooked by a flag in the crowd on the way back to weigh in, kicking out and breaking a rear leg on a fence.

In 2015, crowd favourite and three-time Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux had to be euthanised two-and-a-half weeks after the Cup as a result of complications from an injury suffered in that year’s race.

with AAP