A Racehorse Named Cliffsofmoher Was Euthanised After This Year’s Melbourne Cup
Not that you'd know, if you were watching the cup on TV.
Just a few minutes after this year’s Melbourne Cup, a racehorse named Cliffsofmoher had to be euthanised on-track. It is the sixth horse to die as a result of the Melbourne cup since 2013.
Punters watching the race from stands near where the injury occurred described the leg injury as immediate and shocking, and the horse did not complete the race. Shortly after the race’s finish, tarpaulins were erected around the injured horse, which was euthanised shortly afterwards.
Ringside seat to raceday tragedy. #MelbourneCup2018 pic.twitter.com/jWsr9zomva
— nastyhack (@lynleybilby) November 6, 2018
The Cliffsofmoher becomes the 6th horse to die as a result of the #melbournecup since 2013. Highlights the very real risks to horses from racing.
— RSPCA Australia (@RSPCA) November 6, 2018
Not that you would have known any of this if you were at the races, or watching live coverage on TV. As people actually at the races reported, the horse’s injury and death were not announced during the post-race celebrations.
Unless you were seated close to the race and knew what to look for, you could easily have missed it. The mood at the course was, instead, celebratory. People got drunk, celebrated bets, talked positions.
I've never been on the grounds when a horse died before. It's weird. You can't tell. No one reacts. There are no announcements. You can't see the track, or the race, really. No one says anything. It's as if no one cares. #CallaCup
— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) November 6, 2018
The tragic death of the #Cliffsofmoher in the #MelbourneCup is just heartbreaking – what a waste of a beautiful horse ? Doubly disgusting is the lack of coverage it received. Maybe this is why people are starting to say #NupToTheCup #RIPCliffsofMoher pic.twitter.com/8YW8XVDQYu
— Claire (@Claire_B3007) November 6, 2018
As we’ve reported before, multiple times, injuries horses sustain during races can very easily be life-ending for the horse. That’s because when a horse breaks a leg, it can easily shatter a bone, making it very difficult to heal. It’s also difficult for horses to lie down for long periods of time to recover, as a person would with a broken bone. Often, to save the horse further suffering, the most humane option following an injury like this is to euthanise the horse.
As someone who grew up around horse racing (in my case, harness racing) I think people pay far too little attention to the real costs these sports exact from animals who have no choice in their participation. https://t.co/olkFRCH4Ha
— Carrington Clarke (@carringtonAU) November 6, 2018
Rest in peace Cliffsofmoher. Rest in peace also Red Cadeaux, killed in 2015’s Melbourne cup; Araldo and Admire Rakti, killed in 2014’s Melbourne Cup, and Verema, killed in 2013’s Melbourne Cup. The racing industry will probably not learn from your deaths.
Getting increasingly hard to "enjoy" the #MelbourneCup when some poor horse seems to lose its life every year. RIP sweet angel #cliffsofmoher ? No longer a victim of man's greed. ?
— jeanvb (@jean_virginia) November 6, 2018
Feature image via Twitter