Welfare role for star racing retirees
Two star racehorses have retired to Manawatu¯ as part of an ambassador programme to show thoroughbred horses can live great lives after their racing careers.
Ping Hai Star and Werther have returned from Hong Kong and been retired to Highden Park near Rongotea to become New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s welfare ambassadors.
Werther, 9, raced in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and Japan, while 7-year-old Ping Hai Star, who was foaled at Highden Park, raced in Australia and Hong Kong.
Ping Hai Star and Werther will be paraded at the Kevin Pratt Memorial Race day today at Awapuni, Palmerston North.
Ping Hai Star came back to Highden, a breeding nursery owned by Libby and Sam Bleakley, in December last year after an injury prematurely ended his career.
Werther, who was raised in Cambridge, came in March. He was also injured and retired.
Highden Park farm manager Justine Kyrke-smith said the horses, who work as ‘‘nannies’’, had jobs on the farm, including going out with fillies, which helps keep young horses calm and encourages them to eat properly.
‘‘Because [the fillies] have just come off their mums not knowing what’s going on, they go out with Ping and Werther to have a big older horse to look after them and make sure they have their breakfast and take them around.’’
Kyrke-smith said the point of the welfare ambassadors was because there was a lot of negativity towards the treatment of horses in the racing industry.
‘‘We’re trying to show these horses do have a life after racing. We make sure they do get looked after when they have finished racing.’’
Kyrke-smith said the two horses had won more than $13 million between them.
‘‘They’re just Ping and Werther to us. You look at their racing career, they’re actually champions.’’
Werther was a two-time Hong Kong horse of the year and he and Ping Hai Star have won the Hong Kong Derby.
Kyrke-smith would like to see something in New Zealand like Australia’s Living Legends, a home for former champion racehorses.