CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT

It’s the biggest day of the year for Australian racing, Melbourne Cup. The race that stops the nation.

With over 15 million bets expected to go through machines, apps and bookmakers fingers, it’s not often acknowledged how this national tradition benefits other industries.

Clag Glue, the iconic arts and crafts company has a truck idling out the back of the Flemington stables, ready to pick up any carcasses as soon as they go down.

“From 1 August 2018 to 31 July 2019, 122 horses died on Australian racetracks. That’s an average of more than two deaths a week,” said a spokesperson for the Australian-owned glue empire.

“It’s great for business”

“6 have died in the Melbourne Cup since 2013!”

Last year, the Cup was rocked when Cliffsofmoher was euthanised in front of the grandstand crowd after the horse broke its shoulder.

The 2014 death of Japanese racehorse, Admire Rakti, and the subsequent post-race death of Araldo who was spooked by a kid during the parade – marked the second straight year a horse had died after the Melbourne Cup.

It was the tragedy of this event that sparked a never-before seen and completely unrealistic campaign by GetUp, calling for the banning of horse racing.

A couple of years ago it was fan favourite Red Cadeaux that died due to complications with an injury sustained in The Race That Stops A Nation.

The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses spokesman, Sally Young said there had been more than 100 deaths during or immediately after races in the past year.

“Ban everything” she says.

“I say this every year whenever the media remembers our organisation exists”

With the most-watched spectacle of livestock athleticism and workplace gambling set to go down soon, the possibility of injury to racehorses is once again something that organises are prepared for.

Standing at the finish line today at Melbourne’s Flemington racecourse, is a bloke named Ambrose.

Held firm in his hands is the controversial Adler lever-action shotgun.

“They won’t feel a thing,” he says.

“It’ll be quick, this thing reloads with just one hand movement, so if it’s anything like 2014, I’ll be able to do two of them in just a couple of seconds”

“I promise I’ll make it quick and painless horsies. I’ll have someone holding up a big blanket too so the cameras can’t see”