Singer accused of putting ‘money before compassion’ by agreeing to sing two songs at horse-racing event

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Animal activists have called on Taylor Swift to reverse her decision to perform at the Melbourne Cup after it was announced she would sing two tracks from her album Lover in the mounting yard on 5 November.

“I can’t wait to come to Melbourne, and I can’t wait to come to the Melbourne Cup,” Swift told the Herald Sun.

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“I’ve heard so much about the race.”

But the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses has been quick off the mark with a campaign to ask Swift to say #NupToTheCup on social media.

If Taylor Swift cares at all about other animals the way she appears to care about cats, she will cancel her show Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses

“Taylor Swift has put money before compassion by agreeing to perform at the 2019 Melbourne Cup,” the group posted online in the wake of the announcement.

“Horses are being killed for gambling profits and entertainment. If Taylor Swift cares at all about other animals the way she appears to care about cats, she will cancel her show and make a strong statement that animal abuse is unacceptable.”

The chief executive of the Victoria Racing Club, Neil Wilson, said the club was thrilled to have Swift at Flemington for the $8m race.

“To think you can come to Flemington and watch not only the race that stops a nation but see one of the world’s biggest – if not the biggest – entertainer perform for the cost of a general admission ticket is phenomenal,” Wilson said.

Lover is Australia’s highest-selling album for the year and has generated more than one billion streams in the country already.

The performance will be Swift’s only public appearance while in Australia.