Melborune Cup: Is The Party Worth It?

Two racehorses’s death after Melbourne Cup event last year in spotlight had drawn as much attention as the joy and fun.

Admire Rakti, a seven-year-old Japanese horse, which just passed veterinary inspection on the morning of the race, unexpectedly died of acute heart failure resulting from “ventricular fibrillation”, an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), right after finishing last year’s Melbourne Cup racing. According to Racing Victoria’s chief veterinarian, Brian Stewart, this is a very rare condition with only 0.0075% chance that can happen as a consequence of a rapid heart rate during the race.

The second tragedy occurred when Araldo, a seventh place, passed the mounting yard after the race and was frightened by a spectator’s flag which caused the horse kicked out in response and broke its hind leg. Due to the severe damage, Araldo was later euthanised. The same thing had happened in 2013 Melbourn Cup race, in which Verema broke a leg and was put down after.

Admire Rakti and Araldo’s death aroused people’s awareness of animal rights during Melbourne Cup event. According to the record, 125 horses have died on Australian racing in the past year and too many thoroughbreds are bred in Australia, leading to thousands being slaughtered annually for pet food.

Although horse racing without death is impossible just like it is with air travel or crossing the road, we can do better to limit the tragedy during the race. Under the million-dollar glory, we should be considering more for the horses and rethinking that if this is worth their lives.

Melbourne Cup Day: The Race that Stops a Nation

Tuesday, November 3rd, is a big day for Australians! The wildest and richest two-mile horse race in the world is held on Melbourne Cup Day in Australia.

Melbourne Cup is a handicap contest for horses equal to 3 years old or older running over a distance of 3200 meters. The event is held by Victoria Racing Club at Flemington Racecourse on the first Tuesday in November annually.

Last year, the 154th running of Melbourne Cup, the first prize was given to Protectionist, which was ridden by Ryan Moore and trained by German Andreas Wöhler. Protectionist won the race by four lengths, becoming the first German-trained winner of the Melbourne Cup.

What kind of prize are the participants fighting for?

The total prize money for the 2015 race is $6,200,000. With trophies, the total value is $175,000. The top 10 horses that past the post receive prize, with the winner being paid $3.6 million, and tenth place $125,000. The money is distributed to the connections of each horse in the ratio of 85 percent to the owner, 10 percent to the trainer and 5 percent to the jockey.

Melbourne Cup later added additional $500,000 bonus for the horse owner of the winner who also won the group one Irish St. Leger that was run in the previous September.

The event sounds very exciting and fun. However, two horses’ death had caused as much attention in the news as for fashion and fun last year. Find out why and more details in the next blog!