Horse Racing Ireland has confirmed that six horses suffered horrific injuries and were killed at the Punchestown Racing Festival in April and a seventh horse used at the festival is also now dead.

Sickening details about the injuries and deaths emerged thanks to a Dail Question from Paul Murphy TD to Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue.

The Solidarity-People Before Profit politician sought information about "the number of horses injured and killed at the 2023 Punchestown horse racing festival; the nature of the injuries and how many horses had their final race at the festival and were later killed elsewhere". He also asked "if consideration will be given to ending State funding to Horse Racing Ireland in view of the growing number of horse deaths at tracks around Ireland".

Responding to the question, a Horse Racing Ireland representative stated: "There were six fatal injuries at the Punchestown Festival in 2023."

He went on to reveal the nature of the injuries suffered by the six horses - "one was an irreparable cannon bone fracture, one had a fractured sacrum, two had severed tendon from cuts, one fractured shoulder, one fractured pelvis with internal bleeding."

"We do not have records of any other injuries," he added. "We are aware of one horse which has died which last competed at the 2023 Punchestown Festival, which sustained an injury at home, unrelated to Punchestown."

The seven dead horses were previously identified as:

5-year-old British horse Diverge who finished last in the “KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle” and was “found to have an overreach post race” 

6-year-old Ballyday Star - shocking video footage showed this horse suffering an horrific injury in the “Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Chase for the Ladies Perpetual Cup” race https://twitter.com/watch_welfare/status/1650954700324237335

4-year-old horse Scarlet Grace who "weakened quickly" and finished 21st (second last) in the "Oak Lodge Landscapes Flat Race".

Also dead are two horses used on Day 3 of the festival on 27 April: 11-year-old Mortal who “finished lame” in the “Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross Country Chase” race and 9-year-old British horse Brandy Harbour who “fell heavily” in the Pigsback .com Handicap Chase race.

7-year-old Artic Weather is also dead. This horse was pulled up in the “Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase” race on 28 April.

A horse who fell in a race on the final day of the festival was also confirmed dead - 9-year-old An Droichead Eile.

9-year-old British horse Master McShee – who had been listed as dead by Horse Racing Ireland – apparently did not die. According to a 5 May 2023 Racing Post report, the horse “suffered a career-ending injury but trainer Paddy Corkery is hopeful his life can be saved”. The report added that the horse was “mistakenly listed as being dead on Horse Racing Ireland’s racing calendar due to a miscommunication”.

Less than two months after the festival, another three horses used in a race meeting at Punchestown (on 11 June 2023) were also confirmed dead. These latest deaths bring to 15 the number of horses dead after racing at the Kildare racecourse so far this year.

The latest three horses known to be dead are

4-year-old horse Burma Ruby who was "badly hampered by faller" and unseated the rider

5-year-old French horse Iurkash who suffered a fall in the "Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle" race

5-year-old Naruto who fell heavily in a race

Earlier in the year, more horses lost their lives following races at Punchestown, including four in February 2023.

In a January Dail Question, Paul Murphy TD asked Minister McConalogue “if he will request an update from Horse Racing Ireland regarding horse deaths at [Punchestown] and if he will make a statement on the matter.”

He highlighted to the Minister that at least 13 horses used at Punchestown last year were later reported dead and that there were 21 deaths between 27 April 2021 and the end of 2022.

These horses are among a growing list of horse racing victims.

Over 1,000 horses have been killed at racecourses around Ireland in the past decade, including 107 last year. Figures obtained by Paul Murphy TD show that from 2012 to the end of 2022, 1,060 horses have lost their lives at racecourses. Horse Racing Ireland – which has received more than €1.3 billion euros in government grants to-date – previously revealed the method of killing to be either lethal injection or a bullet in the head.

The death figures do not include the horses injured at racecourses, taken away and later killed elsewhere or the horses killed behind the scenes because they are not fast enough to win races.

Many more race horses are also killed in slaughterhouses. Between 2016 and March 2023, 14,474 thoroughbred horses were slaughtered at “Department-approved slaughter facilities” in Ireland.

ACTION ALERT

Don’t attend races or bet on racing.

Demand an end to the government’s massive grants to horse and greyhound racing – more than a €1.6 Billion handed over since 2001, including €91 million for 2023. Contact the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Finance Minister now.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD
Telephone: +353 (0)1-704 3630 OR +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar

Tanaiste Micheál Martin TD
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1–618 4350 or +353 (0)21-432 0088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD

Michael McGrath TD
Minister for Finance
Email: michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; minister@per.gov.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/michael.mcgrath.1614
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mmcgrathtd

Irish Government grants to horse racing

2001 €47,110,330
2002 €54,452,651
2003 €51,348,800
2004 €53,531,200
2005 €54,680,000
2006 €56,047,000
2007 €58,539,000
2008 €61,028,800
2009 €54,502,000
2010 €47,411,200
2011 €45,830,000
2012 €45,032,000
2013 €44,016,000
2014 €43,376,000
2015 €54,400,000
2016 €59,200,000
2017 €64,000,000
2018 €64,000,000
2019 €67,200,000
2020 €67,200,000
2021 €76,800,000
2022 €70,400,000
2023 €72,800,000

TOTAL: €1,312,904,981 (€1.31 Billion)

Irish Government grants to greyhound racing

2001 €11,777,583
2002 €13,613,163
2003 €12,837,200
2004 €13,382,800
2005 €13,670,000
2006 €14,012,000
2007 €14,572,000
2008 €15,257,000
2009 €13,625,600
2010 €11,852,800
2011 €11,460,000
2012 €11,258,000
2013 €11,004,000
2014 €10,844,000
2015 €13,600,000
2016 €14,800,000
2017 €16,000,000
2018 €16,000,000
2019 €16,800,000
2020 €16,800,000
2021 €19,200,000
2022 €17,600,000
2023 €18,200,000

TOTAL: €328,166,146 (€328.1 Million)

Source: Department of Agriculture

Watch the BBC Panorama documentary “The Dark Side of Horse Racing”
https://youtu.be/VlpQhJFd5Bo

Find out more about race horse deaths at
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2021/08/19/horses-confirmed-dead-following-races-at-irish-racecourses/

SEE ALSO
7 horses DEAD after Punchestown racing festival (2023)
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/05/19/7-horses-dead-after-punchestown-racing-festival/

Six horses killed at Punchestown racing festival (2022)
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2022/05/07/five-horses-killed-at-punchestown-festival/

Paul Murphy TD questions Minister about horse deaths at Punchestown
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/02/25/paul-murphy-td-questions-minister-about-horse-deaths-at-punchestown/

Politicians wined and dined by gambling industry at Punchestown https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2022/05/26/politicians-wined-and-dined-by-gambling-industry-at-punchestown/

3 horses dead following 2023 Fairyhouse racing festival
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/04/13/3-horses-dead-following-fairyhouse-racing-festival/

1,060 horses killed at racecourses in Ireland
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/03/13/1060-horses-killed-at-racecourses-in-ireland/

More than 1,000 race horses slaughtered in Ireland in 2022
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/02/28/more-than-1000-race-horses-slaughtered-in-ireland-in-2022/