Safe group renews jumps ban call

‘‘Seven horses have now died this season in jumps races. How many more need to die before action is taken.’’ Mandy Carter from Safe

An animal rights group has renewed calls to ban jumps racing.

The death toll in New Zealand jumps racing has risen with three horses dying in three weeks – the total for the jumps season is seven.

The call comes after Twentythirtyfour was euthanased after fracturing a leg in a steeplechase at Te Aroha on Sunday. The 6-year-old was galloping between jumps when he sustained the injury.

Good Risk died after falling and suffering a cardio-vascular ‘‘event’’ at Whanganui on August 21, while Bunkered fractured a stifle and was euthanased at Riccarton a week earlier. Mandy Carter, head of campaigns for the animal righty group Safe says that the death toll is unacceptable.

‘‘The lives and welfare of the horses are what is really at stake in jumps racing,’’ she said. ‘‘Seven horses have now died this season in jumps races. How many more need to die before action is taken?"

The latest deaths come after three horses died in a single day earlier in the season. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing said it was finalising a report into those Ellerslie deaths.

‘‘The report has been to the board in draft form and a review will be broadened at the end of the season,’’ said NZTR racing manager Matthew Hall. He conceded the seven fatalities this season was worrying and action was planned to further ensure safety in the sport.

‘‘We’re committed to the jumps racing industry, but we’re also committed to making it as safe as possible. We’ll look at the design of obstacles, the track conditions making it more dangerous and ensuring jockeys don’t race on tired horses.’’

He says they will also assess the qualification process that allows horses to compete. Three horses, from 881 runners, suffered fatal injuries in jumping races in New Zealand last year and two, from 907 runners, were fatally injured in 2014.