Last gallop for ex-champ horse after rescue from ‘bush races’
RESCUERS used a drone and even a psychic detective to track down two former racehorses kidnapped over the Easter weekend for “bush races”.
But the rescue ended tragically when one of the horses had to be put down due to severe leg injuries.
The horses were previously owned and trained by leading figures in the racing industry, but were stolen from a rehoming centre in Philippi, Cape Town. One of them had been advertised for sale on Gumtree and Facebook.
The incident prompted criticism of the racing industry from those who feel racehorses are too often neglected once their racing days are over.
Welfare sources also spoke of a worrying escalation in illegal horse racing, including racing on tar roads or through semi built-up areas.
“Illegal racing is much bigger than everybody thinks,” said Jenny Millington, manager of the Thoroughbred Horses Rehoming Centre from where the horses, Wavin Flag and Maximum Flo, were stolen in broad daylight.
Wavin Flag, the winner of the 2014 Gold Cup at Greyville in Durban, was once owned by a syndicate including Cape Thoroughbred Sales MD Adrian Todd.
Maximum Flo, the winner of a less prestigious race, was owned by a syndicate involving Racing Association CEO Larry Wainstein.
It is believed Todd and Wainstein helped mount a rescue effort in the heart of the Cape ganglands, although neither would comment on the matter.
Todd said: “The matter . . . is currently the subject of a National Horseracing Authority inquiry. It would be premature of me to comment at this time.”
Millington praised the rescue effort, which involved many volunteers and culminated in deploying a drone to an area identified by a psychic.
A horse box was sent in to recover the animals while the suspected kidnappers looked on, offering no resistance. However, it was too late for Maximum Flo, whose legs were beyond repair.
“We are glad that at least he didn’t die in the bush in pain and got put down in a humane way,” said a member of the rescue team.
The latest incident puts the spotlight on new regulations aimed at protecting thoroughbred horses from neglect, issued last year by the National Horseracing Authority.
Although it appears the two horses had been legally transferred into the care of the Philippi rehoming centre, questions remain about financial provision for the animals, with the facility unable to afford adequate security.
Said Millington: “I’ve been doing this myself for years and take the money out of my pocket. Sometimes you think, ‘Where is the money going to come from?’ I even sold one of my personal horses to feed the others.”
Allan Perrins, CEO of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, said: “Many owners and syndicates have conveniently short memories when it comes to their horses, which were not acquired as pets but as commodities with an envisaged return on investment.”
Industry stakeholders denied that there was widespread neglect. Ken Truter, chairman of the Western Cape Equine Trust, said thoroughbred horses were given special training to prepare them for life after racing, and regular inspections of new homes ensured continued quality care.
“The unfortunate situation here was stock theft, and it is becoming an issue. Security in that whole Philippi area is a problem,” Truter said.
Millington said the rescue was at least a small measure of consolation even though Maximum Flo later had to be put down. “His eyes lit up and he didn’t stop eating [after the rescue]. That gives me a little bit of closure. We got him back,” she said.