New Figures for Racehorse Deaths Released as Australia Prepares for the Melbourne Cup

A report from the Coalition to Protect Racehorses puts the number of dead at 151, but says the true figure is likely to be much higher.

Mark Zahra riding Isthmus (R) winning Race 8, the Melbourne Cup Carnival Welcome - Betting Odds during Melbourne Racing at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept. 22, 2024. Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

With “Melbourne Cup Fever” building ahead of the event to be held on Nov. 5, the Coalition to Protect Racehorses (CPR) has released its annual “Deathwatch” report.

It details the deaths of 151 thoroughbred racehorses on Australian racetracks in the 2023/24 season, equating to at least three every week. But the group suggests the true number is probably much higher, and that jumps racing is almost 20 times more deadly for horses than flat racing.