This year, the race that stopped a nation also killed a horse. Immediately after the race was concluded one of the runners had to be killed because it broke its leg during the Melbourne Cup. As it happens, whilst I generally ignore the Melbourne Cup, I am a fan of thoroughbred racing. Whilst I never […]

This year, the race that stopped a nation also killed a horse. Immediately after the race was concluded one of the runners had to be killed because it broke its leg during the Melbourne Cup. As it happens, whilst I generally ignore the Melbourne Cup, I am a fan of thoroughbred racing. Whilst I never bet, I have always enjoyed the excitement of a day at the races. I may well be a slow learner, but after the event following the Melbourne Cup this year, I am now starting to question the ethics and morality of thoroughbred racing. For years I have been critical of jumps racing in South Australia and Victoria, where a number of horses are killed each year. I have also questioned the morality of pacing (trotting) on the basis of the stress it places on the horse. Now I find myself questioning the morality of racing.…