One of Britain’s top racehorses is shot dead at a packed course after shattering his leg – sparking a fresh debate about the sport.
Wigmore Hall was killed behind a large temporary screen, put up on the track to prevent thousands of fans witnessing its final distressing moments.
The champion horse broke a leg less than three furlongs from the end of a race at Doncaster last Saturday.
The pictures show for the first time the ritual that happens around the country when these elite animals are badly injured.
Campaign group Animal Aid took the images.
The group’s Dene Stansall said: “The racing industry should be ashamed of its track record.
"Poor Wigmore Hall was one of a huge number of race horses who are destroyed each year.
"This major animal welfare problem should be brought to the public’s attention.”
But supporters of the sport insist racehorses enjoy better care than most animals and claimed the number of horse deaths has dropped.
The British Horseracing Authority said: “The highest standards of horse welfare are demanded of all jockeys, trainers and racecourses.
“British racing’s welfare standards far exceed existing animal welfare legislation.
"Over the last 15 years, the equine fatality rate in British racing has fallen by a third.
"Horses are at risk of injury throughout their lives, regardless of the type of equestrian activity they participate in.”
Seven-year-old Wigmore Hall won seven races during a successful career that included meetings in Hong Kong, Singapore and the USA with jockeys including Italian track legend Frankie Dettori.
He earned more than £1.3million in prize money for its owners, winning two of the industry’s prestigious grade one races.
But his life was tragically cut short after he collapsed at the South Yorkshire course’s St Leger festival meeting.
Pictures taken by activists show the animal standing on three legs, the fourth broken one hanging gingerly in the air, while a racecourse vet holds a silenced pistol to its head.
Donate Animal Aid : http://goo.gl/F71eUN
Wigmore Hall was killed behind a large temporary screen, put up on the track to prevent thousands of fans witnessing its final distressing moments.
The champion horse broke a leg less than three furlongs from the end of a race at Doncaster last Saturday.
The pictures show for the first time the ritual that happens around the country when these elite animals are badly injured.
Campaign group Animal Aid took the images.
The group’s Dene Stansall said: “The racing industry should be ashamed of its track record.
"Poor Wigmore Hall was one of a huge number of race horses who are destroyed each year.
"This major animal welfare problem should be brought to the public’s attention.”
But supporters of the sport insist racehorses enjoy better care than most animals and claimed the number of horse deaths has dropped.
The British Horseracing Authority said: “The highest standards of horse welfare are demanded of all jockeys, trainers and racecourses.
“British racing’s welfare standards far exceed existing animal welfare legislation.
"Over the last 15 years, the equine fatality rate in British racing has fallen by a third.
"Horses are at risk of injury throughout their lives, regardless of the type of equestrian activity they participate in.”
Seven-year-old Wigmore Hall won seven races during a successful career that included meetings in Hong Kong, Singapore and the USA with jockeys including Italian track legend Frankie Dettori.
He earned more than £1.3million in prize money for its owners, winning two of the industry’s prestigious grade one races.
But his life was tragically cut short after he collapsed at the South Yorkshire course’s St Leger festival meeting.
Pictures taken by activists show the animal standing on three legs, the fourth broken one hanging gingerly in the air, while a racecourse vet holds a silenced pistol to its head.
Donate Animal Aid : http://goo.gl/F71eUN
Music : Water Lily by Kevin MacLeod
Source : Mirror , Animal Aid
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