Media Release Tuesday 26 March 2024:
Eight-year-old Grand Promenade was killed after a horrific fall at Warrnambool this Monday 25th March, which was only the second jumps race day of the 2024 Jumps racing season in Victoria. Out of a total of only five jumps races this year, already four horses have fallen, and one has died. Once again CPR is calling for an immediate ban on jumps racing in Victoria.
“We are calling on the Victorian Racing Minister, Mr Anthony Carbine to view the video of the fall that led to the death of Grand Promenade and then tell us if he still thinks jumps racing should be allowed to continue,” said Mr Elio Celotto, Campaign Director for CPR.
Grand Promenade was killed behind the green screen on the track as a result of the catastrophic injuries he sustained when he fell. The fall has been edited out of the official so-called ‘full’ race replay video. View CPR’s footage below:
“Grand Promenade ran in 32 races and won more than 1.2M dollars for his owners. Instead of giving him a well-deserved retirement, they decided to risk his life and put him over the jumps,” Mr Elio Celotto said, and continued:
“Victoria, the so-called progressive state, is the only state that still allows jumps racing. Somehow the Victorian Labour Government thinks in 2024, it’s still ok to send horses to death for the sake of entertainment and gambling,”
Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell , echoed similar sentiments:
“Just last week, I warned the Victorian Government of just how deadly jumps racing is. Grand Promenade’s blood is on their hands.
“We call ourselves the progressive state, yet we are the only one in the entire country to continue this blood sport. It is an embarrassment and a disgrace.”
“Anthony Carbines has an opportunity now to show he actually cares for the welfare of horses, and cancel the rest of the jumps racing season,” Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell said.
CPR has requested a meeting with the Victorian Minister for Racing to discuss putting an end to a sport that cannot be made safe:
“We’ve been monitoring jumps races since 2008. In that time, there have been several reviews – all of which have failed to improve safety,” Mr Elio Celotto said.
In 1997, the New South Wales Government banned jumps racing on animal welfare grounds. Tasmania ended jumps racing in 2007. In 2022, South Australia also banned jumps racing. Last year, 1 in 38 jumps horses died in Victoria.
Since the 2024 jumps racing season began on 12 March, four horses have fallen and now one horse has been killed – in a total of just five jumps races. CPR is awaiting Victoria’s Minister for Racing Anthony Carbines’ response to our request for a meeting.
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Stop this disgusting sport immediately You are money hungry pigs, you have no care for the lives of these animals all you care about is money you disgust me and a million other people I hope you all rot in hell.
I feel sick seeing this, ban MURDER of our precious horses immediately