Animal campaign group witness second death at Newton Abbot Racecourse

Five-year-old Complice Du Chenet was having his first ever race when he was seen being pulled up in distress just halfway through the two mile National Hunt Flat race (31 July). Green screens were erected almost immediately around the stricken horse and he was not seen again. Though the exact circumstances surrounding the horse’s death are not known, because the racing industry rarely makes this information available, it remains a disturbing image of a young horse in the last moments of his short life.

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

‘For a young horse to have died as a result of his first ever race is sad and highly questionable in itself, but this is a wider problem still, as the racing industry must take full responsibility for the huge death toll of horses on British racecourses. It is a scandal that around 200 horses are killed each year, yet the industry isn’t being held accountable. An increasing number of people, however, are turning their backs on racing. They see it as blatant animal abuse with horses being callously whipped as standard practice and others dying in often horrific circumstances.’

Editors Notes

• For more information contact Dene Stansall on 01732 364546
• For race horse deaths since 2007, visit our Race Horse Deathwatch website
• Watch the videos of Tea In Transvaal and Complice Du Chenet taken by Devon Animal Save