For Immediate Release, Monday 20 December, 2021

Calling on Minister Buti to close Perth’s Ascot Racecourse after five horse deaths 

The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses is calling for Perth’s Ascot racecourse to be closed down after last weekends meeting claimed the life of yet another horse.

“At least eight horses have been killed due to injuries sustained whilst being used to race on WA tracks since October – five of them at Ascot” said Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) Campaign Director, Elio Celotto. 

“Last Saturday five year old gelding, Expressionist, sustained a fracture to his femur whilst being raced and was killed on the track” Mr Celotto said. “His death brings the Ascot death toll to five horses in just over two months, and these are just the deaths we learn of”.

“Any death of a horse in the name of gambling profits and entertainment is unacceptable, but five in such a short space of time at the one track should be ringing major alarm bells for the industry. Instead, it appears to be business as usual at Ascot with more races scheduled for this Wednesday, and for the upcoming Perth Cup” he said. 

“Racing and Wagering Western Australia is spending big money promoting the glitz and glamour of the Perth Cup, meanwile the horses it could not exist without are being treated as a disposable commodity” he said.

“For this reason, we are calling on the WA Minister for Racing, Tony Buti, to immediately shutdown the Ascot track and to conduct an urgent investigation into this recent spate of deaths” Mr Celotto said.

CPR will be protesting outside the Ascot track on New Year’s Day to say ‘Nup to the Perth Cup’ and to stand in memorium for all five horses whose lives have recently been taken. 

Battle Storm – seven years old
Boomtastic – five years old
She’s God To You – four years old
Grinning Rupert – two years old
Expressionist – five years old