By ALECIA PINNER & DAVID SCHOUT
DOZENS of demonstrators protested horse jumps racing with banners
and placards outside Sandown as one of Victoria’s biggest steeplechases
took place inside the course.
The $200,000 Grand National Hurdle went ahead incident-free in
drenching rain on Sunday 14 July before a crowd of more than 1180
people. Police attended but there were no arrests.
Seven-year-old gelding Black and Bent defied the odds to be
second-time winner of the 3900-metre Grand National Hurdle, despite
carrying 72 kilograms, the heaviest handicap in the event since 1940.
Odds-on favourite Wells fell on the second-last hurdle.
Protesters will demonstrate again at the $250,000 Grand National
Steeplechase at Sandown this Sunday and say they will attend major
jumps meets until Melbourne Racing Club “dumps the jumps”.
Anti-jumps racing protesters say steeplechasing puts horses at
risk and should be banned in Victoria. South Australia and Victoria are
the only two Australian states that allow jumps racing.
Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses member Georgie Purcell,
who organised the demonstration, said about 50 protesters attended,
which was pleasing given the heavy rain. Racecourse officials put the
number of protesters at about 20.
“The weather was horrible but we just had to remember what the
horses go through in comparison and we were happy to be there,’’ Ms
Purcell said.
“The race favourite fell. He got up but that’s not to say he was OK.
“We see it time and time again; horses get up on the track and are killed in the stable after. We never see them again.”
Racing Victoria spokesman Shaun Kelly said neither the horse nor the rider involved in the fall was injured.
Senior Sergeant Alan Dew, of Springvale police, said officers were
happy with the behaviour of protesters. “In the week leading up to
Sunday’s race we had meetings with Sandown management and the lead
protesters to work out a plan of rules for the event and everyone stuck
to them,” he said.
“There were no arrests, so we’re very happy about that. The races went off without a hitch and all the horses were safe.’’
Australian Jumper of the Year, Bashboy, is the drawcard for the
Grand National Steeplechase, Australia’s richest jumping event, this
Sunday.
