Newbury Tragedy: Right Decisions?

[king_of_diamonds]

I'm sure most, if not, all of us are aware of the tragic event that took place yesterday at Newbury race course. We saw the sad death of 2 race horses, Fenix Two and Marching Song.

Not yet are we at all, 100% sure about the suspicious circumstances involving the deaths, though electrocution looks like the most likely scenario. As fat as I'm aware, the cables in question were today removed from the paddock and post-mortems will be carried out on the two horses.

I'm interested to see your views on how the officials handled the incident. I have today been on several forums and people seem to have mixed views. After the incident, and distress of the horses in the paddock, the race did go on. Apparently it was only after the race, it was seen that some horses had suffered some burns.

I didn't catch the race and only have what I've read, but I gather there was a fairly significant time lapse between the incident and the start of the race, enough time to cancel it. We know that one horse, Kid Cassidy, was withdrawn and could have been another fatality.

Was it fair to make the horses race after a distressful ordeal in the paddock? Was it even right to go ahead with the race when, even today, nothing about the situation is confirmed? Should they have abandoned the race and look to clear the public from the grounds? If nothing is confirmed, they worked on speculation. There wasn't anything to say there is absolutely no danger to the spectators that were there that day.

Or were they right to go ahead with the race, gather more information about what may have happened and then come to a decision. It all happened quickly and in the heat of the moment, did they do what was best? Was the welfare of the horses taken into consideration at a time when nothing was certain?

It's a very sad situation but it raises interesting questions about the handling of the situation. What are your thoughts on the matter? What do you think would have been the best thing to do?

 

[Jacks Mum]

The race should have been cancelled PERIOD..!
They put all the other horses and jockeys in danger as the other horses had unknown injuries... BAD JUDGEMNT as far as I'm concerned.

I haven't seen the footage but by all accounts its was horrific.

 

[B_2_B]

Should have been cancelled straight away

 

[WoopsiiD]

Might be putting myself in the firing line....the footage is not that bad...all you see is 2 horses rearing and then appearing to slip-unless of course someone, somewhere has recorded the whole incident and made it public. SKY and others have not shown the total collapse.

What was horrific by all accounts (uncle was there) was the noise of the poor animals and the reactions of the other horses who were watching.

Uncle is just a racegoer and not horsey in the slightest but even he said he knew the other horses who had witnessed the event were traumatised.

Racing should have be pulled there and then!

 

[BonneMaman]

Agree - it should have been cancelled - two horses drop dead before the race and one more is withdrawn due to an unknown cause. Rediculous to let it carry on.

 

[Dobiegirl]

This was indeed a very sad day for racing. I watched on Channel 4 and the viewers were kept informed by the excellent Alistair Down.

It is my understanding that all the horses were examined prior to racing but vets and trainers were consulted as to whether the race should go ahead. At this stage evidence was being gathered as to the cause of this trajedy.

After the race it was then decided to Abandon the meeting

This was a very important meeting and losing it has had a big impact for horses entered for the Festival and unless it can be rescheduled those horses wont get a prep race.

I believe this is one of the reasons they continued with the first race but as more information came in they had no choice but to abandon.

In my opinion they made the right decision.

 

[Supertrooper]

My best friend and I were talking about this today, I certainly don't think they should of gone ahead, especially when I read the horse that finished last was badly traumatised. Those other horses in the parade ring will of known what was going on, at the end of the day they arn't dumb animals.

Very sad for all concerned xx

 

[nickslynn]

At the time they didnt know what had happened, (horses have dropped dead in the paddock before, from heart attackes etc, many years ago one collapse with what looked like a fit in the paddock, but did get back up to be withdrawn from the race.) All horses were checked over at the start and trainers, jockeys, connections were asked if they were still happy to race. So IMO Newbury were in a no win situation, if they had abandoned before the first and then found out it wasnt anything to do with the paddock/racecourse, they would have been slated, but as more info came about the possible cause they did the only thing they could by abandoning the meeting, giving full refunds.

 

[stencilface]

I think hindsight is a wonderful thing, and I bet the organisers at Newbury think so too.

Seems to be an accident that as far as they knew, could not have been prevented, tragic accident, that could now be prevented in future hopefully

 

[perfect11s]

I guess it was a fairly rare thing to happen it looks like a damaged underground cable , did I read that someone reported lights flikering , who knows... should someone have realised what was happening sooner ??? I think its very sad and nasty for everyone concerned especialy the horses , but sadly I think its just a tradgic accident......mind the amount of tempoary cables at some events is worrying hopefully some good will come of this.. electrical systems checked and more care in routing cables at shows...

 

[debsflo]

cancelled

 

[babymare]

mmmmmmmm ok yes i believe that given what happened the race should been cancelled but a decision had to be made there and then and well its ok to sit now and discuss it but "hind sight " is a great thing and maybe the people who made the desicision are now thinking maybe we should have cancelled

 

[xxMozlarxx]

Might be putting myself in the firing line....the footage is not that bad...all you see is 2 horses rearing and then appearing to slip-unless of course someone, somewhere has recorded the whole incident and made it public. SKY and others have not shown the total collapse.

What was horrific by all accounts (uncle was there) was the noise of the poor animals and the reactions of the other horses who were watching.

Uncle is just a racegoer and not horsey in the slightest but even he said he knew the other horses who had witnessed the event were traumatised.

Racing should have be pulled there and then!

We saw a horse collapse and fall down on the news?? It was bad

 

[thatsmygirl]

We saw a horse collapse and fall down on the news?? It was bad

The footage was not that bad, all you saw was a couple off horses rearing and going down. Nothing worse than that.

 

[fburton]

I'm interested to see your views on how the officials handled the incident. I have today been on several forums and people seem to have mixed views. After the incident, and distress of the horses in the paddock, the race did go on. Apparently it was only after the race, it was seen that some horses had suffered some burns.

Really?! Where was that reported?

 

[SO1]

i think if the vets checked the horses and said they were fine to race then there they were probably relying on the professional advice to make the decision and thought it was ok as the vets are meant to be the expect on horse welfare!

i guess the race course managers could only make a decision using the information available.

 

[pastie2]

.Hind sight is a wonderful thing!! Of course the the race should have been cancelled in view of the knowledge we have now. That knowledge was not available 5 minutes before the first race.

 

[Dobiegirl]

Pastie I agree but at the time no one was sure what had caused this even John Francome was speculating about yew poisioning. If the meeting had been called off there and then and horses had died as a result of heart attacks in a bizarre coincidence people would have said that the officials had over reacted. They were in a no win situation and as been said hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

[king_of_diamonds]

Really?! Where was that reported?

Ignore that. I read it somewhere yesterday and again on a racing forum today but during my look for the link I realised it hasn't been confirmed and is just a roumer that was rife since the incident. No official reports, yet, hqve been made concerning burn marks to horses from the trainers, or owners. My bad on that matter. :/

 

[fburton]

Ignore that. I read it somewhere yesterday and again on a racing forum today but during my look for the link I realised it hasn't been confirmed and is just a roumer that was rife since the incident. No official reports, yet, hqve been made concerning burn marks to horses from the trainers, or owners. My bad on that matter. :/

Thanks for the correction, KoD. I think that rumours of all kinds are bound to be rife in this type of situation.

 

[B_2_B]

Well it was the jockeys and stable people who would be taking the tack off that reported the burn marks, it was said on channel 4.

 

[yeeharider]

Was watching on c4 and dont think they should have gone ahead with the first race,after all humane distruction laws state horses are not allowed to see another horse destroyed, horses there knew others had died. not to mention the health and safety issues

 

[Wishful]

Random deaths in the paddock isn't THAT unusual, although it would be more normal after a race. I've seen 2, one in the paddock and one just after the finish at 2 p2ps. The one in the paddock would have landed on the spectators (usual plastic net fence) but for the quick thinking of the groom when he wobbled, so I was pretty close to (about 2m). Not particularly dramatic, other horses in the paddock at the time didn't react. Obviously sad, but the other horses really didn't notice or react. Same with the one on the course - surrounded by other horses when he went down, no reaction from them!

Obviously with Newbury it's different as it happened before the race, but the vets listened to every runner's heart before the race - and they can hear pretty subtle changes - I would imagine none of the horses had a murmur, or they'd've been pulled.

Cabling at horse events does seem to be an issue though - think there have been incidents at BE/FEI events in the past (studs???)

 

[HashRouge]

I can't believe they allowed the race to continue! Three horses go down in the parade ring, two die. There is nothing ordinary about that, and I would have been extremely concerned as to whether whatever caused the collapses had also affected the other horses. To turn the situation round, I'm more shocked any of the owners/ trainers were willing to let their horses race than at the fact that the officials let the race continue.

 

[Ninfapaola]

Sorry haven't read all the replies but in my opinion the racing should have been cancelled immediately, and shame on that owner who let his horse race after it had received a shock. The poor horse was said to be severely traumatised after the race - at least the other owner showed compassion and withdrew his horse.

 

[leah_x]

In my opinion, the officials would have been moaned at whatever they done - by many different people. Logically, yes they should have abandoned the meeting before the first race, but as has already been said all the horses were checked over by the vet before the race started - they simply would not have let any horses race if there was an obvious problem.
Nobody knew the cause of this accident, it could have been anything. So until they gathered up more information about what happened, I think they done the right thing & as soon as they knew more, they called it all off.
At least all the horses got checked over before the race, I personally think the officials done the best they could, as no matter what they done.. they were fighting a losing battle, either way, people weren't going to be happy...
The people that I'm more disgusted at is the punters, most of them very annoyed that racing had been called off! It's race-goers like that, with no concern for horse welfare, who give racing a bad name..

 

[Maesfen]

Sorry haven't read all the replies but in my opinion the racing should have been cancelled immediately, and shame on that owner who let his horse race after it had received a shock. The poor horse was said to be severely traumatised after the race - at least the other owner showed compassion and withdrew his horse.

Come off it, the horse just looked to be playing up, nothing more, nothing less. You wouldn't pull a horse from a race if that was all it was and at that time, nobody knew of the connection to the other horses at all.

I agree totally with Dobie's comments.

You can bet your bottom dollar that every racecourse manager is today studying their electrical routes and history of work done, the JC would have nothing less.

 

[olop]

Horses dropping dead in the paddock is not normal - and IMO the racing should have been cancelled there & then pending the investigation. Me & OH was watching it on TV at the time & couldnt believe they allowed the race to go on, surely the other horses should have been thoroughly investigated after it happened to make sure it wasnt something else?? They did say they were checked over by vets but IMO they wouldnt have been able to tell if those horses had been affected by it in that short time?? (think the race was half hour late off)

Also my mum buys the daily mail (I know have told her they spout tripe in it lol) & the report said that the horses in the paddock were screaming in pain, does anyone know if that was the case?? If it was it must have even more horrifying to hear the horses screaming

 

[sakura]

I agree that hindsight is a wonderful thing. I personally think they made the right call at the time given the circumstances they were faced with

I saw reports in the news today saying that The Merry Giant is still traumatised, I just saw an interview on 'At the Races' who said he spent all day in the field yesterday and has been fine since they got him home, mentally and physically. Kid Cassidy is also reported to be fine

It was a horrible situation for anyone to be in, I think the decision they made was the right one, personally. They were in a no win situation

 

[Ninfapaola]

So judging by your theory Maesfen Nicky Henderson should not have withdrawn his horse because it was acting oddly. *shakes head*

I stand by what I said - it was evident that the horse was not 'just playing' up. Were they that desperate to race it. The horse should have been put back in his stable and moitored over a period of time.