Horrific pile-up at Wolverhampton Racecourse results in horse death

One horse suffered fatal injuries and three jockeys were taken to hospital after horses clipped heels on the final bend in the 12-runner, six-furlong (three-quarter mile) sprint event.

The five horses who were brought down in the melee all got to their feet and ran riderless to the finishing post. However, on pulling up, eight-year-old gelding Fitz Flyer was found to have a sustained a serious leg injury and was destroyed.

Despite the injuries to the jockeys and the death of Fitz Flyer, the rest of the evening’s races still went ahead.

Wolverhampton Racecourse has suffered a spate of deaths in recent years and Fitz Flyer’s fatal injury brings the total number of horses who have died or been killed at the all-weather course to 30 since April 2007.

Visit: http://www.horsedeathwatch.com/

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

‘Undoubtedly, the racing industry will pass Fitz Flyer’s death off as an unfortunate accident. But, across British racecourses, there are around 200 such fatal ‘accidents’ every single year. At the heart of the problem is a self-regulating ‘sport’, which is hand-in-hand with the betting industry. The fact that the rest of the evening’s races went ahead is indicative of how little racing thinks of its horses – or even its jockeys. There is precious little information about horse fatalities – in the press or by the regulator – other than on Animal Aid’s Deathwatch website. We will keep speaking up for all those horses who are victims of the racing industry.’

Notes to editors

Visit http://www.horsedeathwatch.com for full listings of on-course deaths.

More information

For full background and interviews, contact Dene Stansall on 01732 364546.