Royal Ascot – another horse dies

That same day (Thursday 18 June) Animal Aid staged a visually stunning ‘Spectre of Death’ ceremony outside Ascot’s main gates to alert both race-goers and the media to the racecourse’s alarming mortality rate: it ranks as Britain’s most dangerous Flat (turf) venue. In fact, Ascot can be said to have become something of a graveyard for horses, with deaths occurring at the June meeting in each of the past four years. In 2014 alone, four horses perished. Whatever the reasons for this shocking death toll they cannot be passed off as accidents.

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

‘After 2014’s shameful Royal race meeting it would have been expected that Ascot would do all it possibly could to avoid further deaths. Yet, this appears not to be the case. Not only have we witnessed a fatal injury to a horse in the presence of the Queen but, shockingly, abuse with the whip by jockeys with what a leading racing journalist recently described as ‘a win at all costs’ approach. It is time the welfare of race horses was independently reviewed and concerted action taken to stop horses suffering.’

More Information

• Contact Andrew Tyler or Dene Stansall on 01732 364546
• Visit Race Horse Deathwatch, Animal Aid’s database of on-course deaths