ROYAL WESTERN INDIA TURF CLUB LTD
PRESS RELEASE
Re: Incident which took place at the Pune Race Course on Sunday, 1st August 2010 in respect of the horse RUNNING BULL
This is to apprise all concerned of the above-mentioned incident arising from the speculation on the subject.
RUNNING BULL was entered in the race for the McDowell Signature Turf Club Trophy (Grade 3) on 1st August 2010. After being stalled, RUNNING BULL played up in the starting gate whereby his right hind leg got stuck between the bars in the frame work of the gate, a gap of about two inches which is too small for a horse’s leg to go through normally even if the horse kicks between this gap. However in this particular case unfortunately the horse’s leg somehow slipped through and got stuck in between the gap and despite all efforts, the horse’s leg could not be freed as the gap was very small. The Senior Veterinary Officer who was at the gate, attended immediately to the horse. In the process of trying to pull out its leg the horse broke his hind cannon bone above the fetlock. Only the tendon and ligaments with little skin kept the two parts of the leg attached. To save the animal from further agony only these soft tissues were incised and the leg was taken out. Since the animal was in a very awkward position and was in a state of extreme excitement, the vet decided not to administer a sedative so as to avoid any adverse behaviour on the part of the horse, which in fact, could have caused an even more serious accident.
The gelding was taken out of the starting gate and was shifted to the ambulance which was already waiting. A sedative injection was given immediately thereafter and the horse was euthanized on humane grounds. The Senior Veterinary Officer at that particular moment believed that euthanizing on the spot would have resulted in an adverse behavioral reaction whereby the horse could have further injured himself as he was in trauma and in a hyper active state.
After the incident, all the gaps in the gates, however small they are, have already been sealed. All preventive and precautionary measures have been taken to ensure that such freak accidents do not recur in future.
The Stewards of the Club have gone into the matter in minute detail. The Stewards heard the officials concerned and also a delegation of owners, representatives of the owners of the horse and the trainer of the horse. It was felt that this was a freak accident. Having deliberated on the matter at great length, the following measures were decided to be taken to further improve the facilities at start:-
(a) SOP/Manual to be put in place especially to handle emergency situations in the future.
(b) The existing gates be replaced with new set of gates as per the latest international standard. In the meantime to explore the possibilities of modifying the existing gates.
(c) Handlers be invited from abroad to train the Club’s handlers to further improve the handling of horses at the gate.
Secretary,
Royal Western India Turf Club Ltd
Pune : 8th August 2010.
