Three hurt as race horse leaps into crowd

Yahoo7

5 May 2011 at 1:13 am

A horse running rider-less has jumped into the crowd and injured spectators at the Warrnambool racecourse.

Ambulances were summoned to the scene and five people from the same family were taken to hospital. The seriousness of their injuries are not yet known.

A 36-year-old woman and a 15-year-old girl are still under observation with non life-threatening injuries.

The remaining members of the family have since been discharged.

The Herald Sun reports the he horse BannaStrand jumped a three-metre high fence and plunged into the during the Grand Annual Steeple, which only two horses actually finished.

Al Garhood ridden by Craig Durden clears a jump during the Grand Annual Steeplechase one of only two horses to finish the race. Photos: <i>AAP Images</i> — Al Garhood ridden by Craig Durden clears a jump during the Grand Annual Steeplechase one of only two horses to finish the race. Photos: *AAP Images*

The racing industry is under intense pressure to ban jumps racing and it was temporarily halted after three horses died at the Carnival in 2009.

The head of the RSPCA for Victoria, Hugh Wirth, told the AAP Warrnambool was a killing field for horses as a result of the abnormal number of horse deaths that accompany jumps racing.