Public injuries revealed as hooves fly at horse races

The 1921 Highland games season was only a few weeks old when neartragedy struck. A racehorse went wild during the Ceres Derby causing serious injuries among the crowd of 10,000. Unknown, owned by Alex Gall of Cupar, was competing in the second round of the derby when something freaked him.

It left the chase and embarked on a wild gallop towards crowds sitting on the south embankment.

Before spectators had time to react, Unknown was in among them at a terrifying pace.

With its hooves flying, the racer tried to make it to the top of the embankment, trampling on spectators as it went.

In the stampede to safety that followed, two women were seriously injured and scores more were slightly hurt.

The most serious casualty was Mrs Peebles, 106 Market Street, St Andrews, who had been seated at the top of the embankment.

Ceres GP Dr Cameron found her to be suffering from serious internal injuries and ordered her home to rest.

Mrs Imrie of Collessie Mill suffered a serious arm injury.

However, the race resumed and was won by Jackson’s Peggy, who came in two lengths in front of Molly.

In Perth, in 1936, 15 horses stampeded through the city centre but human casualties were avoided because of the early hour of the incident.

They were among 30 horses from South America which were being unloaded in St Catherine’s Road for the short walk to Macdonald Fraser’s mart.

They were being led in two packs of 15 when the rear pack made a dash for freedom.

Down York Place they tore, into South Street before turning back on themselves before racing towards the railway station.

They galloped on to the platform. From there, they jumped on to the railway line and made it as far as Moncreiffe before being rounded up.

One poor animal ripped its hoof off on a railway point and had to be destroyed.

Two years later, two horses pulling a jute cart piled into 200 hunger marchers from Dundee, Aberdeen and Fife, led by a Perth pipe band, parading through Dundee, injuring several.

“Two women were seriously injured and scores more slightly hurt