"FOUR SET OUT, ONE FINISHER"
"I haven't seen anything like this - four set out, one finisher": Just one horse crossed the finish line in a 3-mile race at Kilbeggan racecourse earlier this month as a crowd clapped and cheered. The three other horses did not finish because they all suffered falls. One of them has been confirmed dead.
Horse Racing Ireland is hiding footage of the falls in its race video https://youtu.be/CGA76Me_sFs?t=305 but the sickening spectacle can be seen on the Racing TV website https://www.racingtv.com/watch/replays/2026-09-04/kilbeggan/1915
The falls occurred during the €7,800-to-the-winner "Clarke's Electrical Contractors, Castletown Geoghegan Beginners Chase" race at the County Westmeath course on 4 September 2026.
The horse who died was 7-year-old My Great Mate. Distressing race footage showed him falling at the third last fence. According to the race commentator, the unfortunate horse "stepped at the fence and paid the price".
At the last fence, two other horses - Chanceawetmorning and Moonovercloon - fell "heavily" into the ground.
Chanceawetmorning was seen getting up again but Moonovercloon remained on the ground.
Racing TV described the falls as a "most dramatic finish to that contest" and added that "it didn't look great for Moonovercloon".
A horse used in racing at Kilbeggan Racecourse earlier that day is also known to be dead: 4-year-old Dawn Coming “fell heavily” at the last fence. Another horse, Rule Seventeen, burst a blood vessel in the same race, with a vet confirming that the animal had "blood at both nostrils post race".
In racing at Kilbeggan racecourse the previous day:
• Horse "Whats New" was pulled up injured. Horse Racing Ireland has confirmed that this horse is now dead.
• Bayswater Bloom "made an abnormal respiratory noise in running",
• Jack Spriggins "had blood at its left nostril post race",
• Killeedy was coughing post race,
• Coral Reid burst a blood vessel.
My Great Mate, Dawn Coming and Whats New are the latest horses to die following racing at Kilbeggan racecourse. Other horses confirmed dead after races there include:
Really Truly who was “always behind” and slipped up in a race on 21 August 2026.
Hot Rock Harry who “weakened inside final furlong” and finished second in the “Connellan & Noone Solicitors LLP Longford INH Flat Race” on 8 August 2026.
Whoyougonnacall who suffered a fall in a race on 8 August 2026.
Syracus Du Houx who finished sixth in a race on 24 July 2026.
Garnacho who fell in the “Egan Stone Kilbeggan Handicap Chase” race on 24 July 2026.
Ballyglass Beauty who fell in the “New Forest Estate & Golf Club Handicap Hurdle” race on 10 July 2026.
Rajjnatin who “weakened before last” in the “Joe Quinn Transport Longford Handicap Hurdle” race on 31 May 2026.
Also dead are five horses used in racing at Kilbeggan racecourse on 24 April 2026:
Cullagh Lad who finished fifth in a race
Musta Lovea Lovea who was pulled up in a race
Jinxs Link who suffered a fall in a race
Lamikal D’airy who was pulled up in a race
McLoughlin who was “struggling when bad mistake” before being pulled up in a race
These horses are among a growing list of horse racing victims.
Find out more at
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2021/08/19/horses-confirmed-dead-following-races-at-irish-racecourses/
SEE ALSO:
DEAD: FIVE horses used in racing at Kilbeggan racecourse on 24 April 2026
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2026/08/22/dead-five-horses-used-in-racing-at-kilbeggan-racecourse-on-24-april-2026/
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Since 2001, the Irish Government has granted €1.54 Billion of public funds to horse racing. Contact the Taoiseach and Tanaiste and demand an end to state funding to this gambling activity which causes so much suffering and death. Tell them to redirect the funds to the many deserving charities, health/homeless/environmental groups, sports clubs, animal rescue centres, etc crying out for support.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD
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Watch “RTE Investigates: Horses – Making a Killing”
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https://youtu.be/F1TZnZgV8L4
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