WARRNAMBOOL’S Grand Annual Steeplechase has been called “nothing short of animal abuse” in state parliament.
Greens upper house MP Sue Pennicuik also blasted recent jumps races at the recent Casterton Cup meeting, labelling the meet “a debacle”.
Meanwhile, an anti-jumps racing group has called for the return of key performance indicators that were introduced in 2010 to make the sport safer.
Ms Pennicuik responded to comments made by Western Victoria MP James Purcell in parliament earlier this month praising the May Racing Carnival and in particular the Grand Annual Steeplechase.
“I have to disagree with Mr Purcell – I find that type of race to be nothing short of animal abuse,” Ms Pennicuik said.
“Only the very next day (after Mr Purcell’s members’ statement), six-year-old Bring Back suffered a broken shoulder in a jumps event at Warrnambool and was killed.
“Two horses died at Warrnambool last year.
“Last weekend, on May 21, during the second hurdle at Casterton, Wee Frankie fell and, I understand, broke his neck.
“The racing carnival at Casterton last weekend was nothing less than a debacle.
“Over three races there were only 14 starters, and only seven of those starters finished — four horses fell, two pulled up and one, Wee Frankie, died.
“Forty-one horses in Victoria have died over the last five years.
“It is a continuing indictment of the government of Victoria … that they continue to allow this abuse and carnage on Victoria’s racetracks every year.”
The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) called for an immediate ban on jumps racing following the death of Wee Frankie at Casterton.
CPR communications manager Ward Young said one in 10 horses fell and risked their life “in the current state of jumps racing”.
“The fall rate is three times higher than what Racing Victoria deemed acceptable in 2010 when they introduced key performance indicators to try and make the sport safe,” Mr Young said.
“If jumps races were held as often as flat races, we would see one horse die at every race meet.
“It is a shameful state of affairs, and if Racing Minister Martin Pakula does not intervene he is giving a green light to animal cruelty in the racing industry.
“At the very least, we are calling on the Racing Minister Martin Pakula to reinstate the key performance indicators that held jumps racing to a level of accountability. This is an industry that is devoid of accountability.”