Racing Victoria has delivered on the first part of its brief.
asserted
Victoria → deliver → brief
We now know, thanks to a speedy and thorough stewards’ investigation, the direct cause of a devastating horse death in the aftermath of Saturday’s Caulfield Cup.
asserted
We → know → Cup
Stewards pinpointed mid-race interference as the reason two horses, and their jockeys, came tumbling to the ground in the Caulfield home straight.
asserted
horses → pinpoint → straight
As has been well documented, one of those horses, the Chris Waller-trained Ohope Wins, was unable to be saved by on-course vets.
asserted
one → document → vets
Importantly, stewards also absolved three jockeys at the centre of their inquiry – Rachel King, Jabez Johnstone and Ethan Brown – of any blame.
asserted
stewards → absolve → blame
They are now free to ride in the coming weeks.
asserted
They → ride → weeks
This column called for a transparent and thorough review earlier this week, and what we got was a quick and commendable turnaround from racing’s police.
asserted
got → call → police
But what we are missing now is the “coroner’s report”; information that goes beyond those in-race mechanics and more deeply into the other factors that may have had an impact on the day.
uncertain
that → miss → day
That information will help us understand if there are any lessons to be learnt or any mitigating circumstances.
asserted
us → help → ?
Racing is a dangerous sport and accidents happen.
asserted
accidents → happen → ?
No one is disputing that.
asserted
one → dispute → that
But it is also an industry that operates on a flimsy social licence – closely monitored by animal liberationists, who want the sport banned, and the anti-gambling brigade, who often work hand-in-hand.
asserted
who → operate → hand
And because of that, a horse death brings the conditions of that licence firmly back into focus.
asserted
death → bring → focus
In spring, it falls under a larger gaze.
asserted
it → fall → gaze
So, for the benefit of those wanting to close the book on this year’s Caulfield Cup tragedy and move on, what do we still need to know?
asserted
we → want → what
Let’s start with the track.
asserted
’s → let → track
Stewards declared there were “no safety issues” with the surface.
asserted
Stewards → declare → surface
Replays will show it was an advantage to be on the rail and in front.
asserted
it → show → front
Was that an exacerbating circumstance?
asserted
that → exacerbate → ?
It might be time for the industry to review those, as well as riding tactics on tracks that throw up a leader bias.
uncertain
that → review → bias
Under Jamie Spencer he bolted to the front before whacking on the handbrake, a mid-race action that stacks up a large field.
asserted
that → bolt → field
No one is blaming Spencer, and “catching a breather” is a common strategy in Australian racing, but it can have consequences.
asserted
it → blame → consequences
These are all things that should be addressed publicly, to paint the full picture.
asserted
that → address → picture
Another viewpoint yet to be shared with the public is Saturday’s vets’ report.
asserted
viewpoint → share → public
To date, we have only been told that Ohope Wins sustained a “serious racing injury and despite veterinary attention could not be saved”.
uncertain
Wins → tell → attention
The argument against sharing such detail is that it is graphic and ghoulish.
asserted
it → share → detail
But there is no hiding that a horse died due to a fall in a race.
asserted
horse → be → race
Like the long-standing policy of erasing footage of such catastrophic events from its archives to avoid viewer “distress”, failing to share the information removes the public’s ability to form a complete and balanced view.
asserted
failing → stand → view
If nothing else, sharing such information might help us understand the trauma that the industry’s animal doctors have to deal with during such horrific situations.
uncertain
doctors → share → situations
They might also have an important view on the conditions of racing.
uncertain
They → have → racing
Racing Victoria’s report today noted that the “incident has been referred to the RV Veterinary Services Department”.
asserted
incident → note → Department
That is a line we have read before, and never seen the outcome.
asserted
we → read → outcome
We should at least expect a finding.
asserted
We → expect → finding
In short, the race-day stewards have done their job and now we wait for the second half of the picture.
asserted
we → do → picture
While it is all well to say we are saddened by these deaths, and offer condolences to the aggrieved, there has to be a greater standard of proof.
Because, as the old saying goes, the standard we walk past is the standard we accept.
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Friday.
asserted
we → say → sport
The Aporia
