Horses Drop Dead In Parade Ring

[Rover 609]

Its just happening now at Newbury,2 horses have just dropped dead while going round the parade ring also several other horses started to "wobble".No one has a clue whats going on 1st thoughts is that some form of electric current has caused it,both went down in the same end of the parade ring.

[callyno3]

Fcuk thats mad, hpoefully theyll sort it out

[MrsPepe]

Jesus thats crazy

[bobby benitez]

This on tv?

[Rover 609]

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/two-horses-collapse-and-die-in-newbury-paddock/818311/top/

TWO horses have collapsed and died in the paddock at Newbury before the first race.

Fenix Two and Marching Song both collapsed within ten yards of each other at the western end on the paddock.

Vets have gone to the start to check the remainder of the runners after Kid Cassidy seemed to wobble before leaving the paddock.

The reason for the sudden deaths is unknown at the moment.

More to follow. . .

The lads leading up the horses reported getting shocks off the horses when they went down.

[GaryMc]

That is crazy.

[MrsPepe]

Graham Thorner, co-owner of Marching Song, was in tears :(

[Rover 609]

This on tv?

Its on RUK sky 432 or it will be on C4 in about 10 mins.

[Ron1892]

wow thats mad stuff.there will be some investigation into what happened here.

[eoinlfc101]

that is mad

[MrsPepe]

Just seen it there, very sad

[Maverick]

Apparently no work done in paddock bar routine drainage. Both horses seemed to be in distress. Heart attack?

[GaryMc]

Meeting has been called off at Newbury

[JamesM]

very sad, showed a clip, looked bloody awful...

[Beanokelly]

I seen John Francome talk about it earlier, very sad news

[reddy]

Awful story that :(.

[Rover 609]

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/


INVESTIGATORS from Southern Electric were on Saturday evening carrying out tests in the parade ring at Newbury where two horses died in an extraordinary incident before the first race at the track on Saturday afternoon.

Fenix Two and Marching Song both collapsed within ten yards of each other at the western end of the paddock while two other horses engaged in the race, Kid Cassidy and The Merry Giant, both appeared to be affected by the incident.

Speculation soon began to mount on the track that it may have been due to some kind of electrical fault, with racecourse vet Tom Campbell saying he was "suspicious of an electrical shock" being the cause of death of Fenix Two.

Clerk of the course Richard Osgood said he wasunaware of any electric cable under the parade ring, with the main feed coming at the other side of the racecourse. Reports on Twitter later suggested that agricultural contractors aerated the course and paddock this week, and that they could have possibly damaged a cable.

The first race took place as scheduled after vets checked the remainder of the runners at the start as Kid Cassidy had seemed to wobble before leaving the paddock. He was subsequently withdrawn. Unconfirmed reports suggested that some of the runners who took part in the race appeared to have burn marks around their mouths when their tack was removed.

Stipendiary steward Paul Barton said: "After those horses collapsed in the parade ring we took the decision that it was safe to continue with the rest of the meeting. After running the first race we isolated that area and some of the trainers were uncomfortable with continuing.

"We had a meeting with the racecourse executives and at that meeting, because we could not establish what the causes of death of the two horses were, the executives weren't comfortable with continuing on health and safety grounds and therefore we had no decision but to abandon."

Barton defended the decision to run the first race. He added: "They were extremely unusual circumstances. At the time we did not know whether those horses had had a heart attack, we did not know what had happened. We had all the horses examined by the veterinary surgeons before they raced. These are highly unusual circumstances, I have never seen anything like this before.

"After the race, as we got more information obviously the decision making process changed."

Professor Tim Morris, director of equine science and welfare for the BHA confirmed a full investigation is under way. He said: "Following the tragic events at Newbury, our sympathies go out to connections of the two horses that died. We have launched a full investigation into the events before the first race.

"Whilst there are suspicions that an electrical fault was the cause and this is being looked into by the racecourse and relevant authorities, it is important that we investigate other possible causes.

"Both horses have been sent for post-mortem examinations and samples from both horses, and from the other two horses involved in the incident, have been taken and will be analysed.

"We will also be testing a sample of the water supply and have secured and will review all of the CCTV footage from the racecourse stables and footage from the parade ring itself at the time.

"We have gathered evidence and statements at the racecourse from the connections involved with the incident, including trainers, jockeys, stable staff and owners, the racecourse and BHA veterinary officers, and the racecourse executive including the health and safety officer."

[KEITHO M]

Very sad alright. Hate seeing animals in distress.

[Ron1892]

Id imagine if it was a electrical fault, there will be a huge compo claim going against Newbury.

[CHRIS1892]

Heart attacks, consistent with electrical shock according to post mortems