Hong Kong horse racing death sparks call for investigation after horse shatters its leg during Happy Valley race

Animal rights group Peta has lodged a complaint with the Hong Kong Jockey Club following the incident on November 20 at the Happy Valley Racecourse

Peta called it ‘alarming’ the horse was allowed to race in its condition given its veterinary history; the HKJC says the injury could not have been predicted

Reading Time:4 minutes

Voyage King at Hong Kong’s Sha Tin Racecourse on May 30. The horse was euthanised after breaking its leg during a race at the Happy Valley Racecourse on November 20. Photo: Kenneth Chan

Published: 12:00pm, 29 Nov 2019Updated: 10:00pm, 29 Nov 2019

Horse racing is a big part of Hong Kong culture, with meetings in the city popular with locals and tourists alike. It’s big business, too. Last year the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) reported record high turnover of HK$234 billion (US$30 billion) for the 2017/18 financial year.

But this week the industry came under fire when animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) lodged a complaint with the HKJC and Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) after a horse, Voyage King, shattered a leg and had to be euthanised following a meeting at the Happy Valley Racecourse on November 20.

Peta shared a distressing video of the incident on YouTube and called for an investigation into the fatality.

According to HKJC public records, Voyage King had been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both front legs six months before his death. Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone.

The records also showed that the four-year-old Australian-bred gelding, owned by Sunshine And Moonlight Syndicate, had a substantial amount of blood in his trachea after a race in September.

“People who care about horses should turn their backs on the horse-racing industry,” says Peta senior vice-president of international campaigns Jason Baker.