Nov 6th, 2018

Nov 6th, 2018

There was a tragic incident at the Melbourne Cup with The CliffsofMoher breaking down early.

Cross Counter won the race that stops the nation, but in the first 600m, Aidan O’Brien-trained The CliffsofMoher broke down. The horse suffered a fractured right shoulder and was unable to be saved. The Victoria Racing Club confirmed after the race that the four-year-old Irish stallion was euthanised.

"The Chairmen and Directors of the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) extend their sympathies to the Williams family and the connections of The CliffsofMoher, which was euthanised after he went amiss in the Lexus Melbourne Cup," the VRC said.

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The RSPCA spoke out against the horseracing industry with The CliffsofMoher the sixth horse to die at the Melbourne Cup since 2013.

Racing Victoria gave a further update in a statement, and assured the public that British jockey Ryan Moore was uninjured.

"It is with sadness that we confirm that The CliffsofMoher had to be humanely euthanised after sustaining a fractured right shoulder during the running of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington," RV Executive General Manager Jamie Stier said in a statement.

"The horse received immediate veterinary care, however it was unable to be saved due to the nature of the injury sustained.

The CliffsofMoher was euthanised (AAP)

"This was an unfortunate incident that happens infrequently, with Victoria having one of the best safety records in world racing.

"Our sympathies are extended to Coolmore and the Williams family, the owners of The CliffsofMoher, jockey Ryan Moore, trainer Aidan O’Brien and his staff who cared for the horse and are greatly saddened by their loss."

O'Brien told racing media at Flemington that the entire team were saddened by the news.

"Unfortunately these things can happen to a horse galloping around the field at home," he said.

"It’s very sad. It could have been worse, Ryan could have taken a fall off him, someone could have been seriously injured."

The CliffsofMoher was euthanised (AAP)

There were some reports that The CliffsofMoher appeared distressed and sweaty prior to the jump.

"The CliffsofMoher, he’s melting like an ice-cream at the moment. He’s really sweating up badly," horseracing commentator and Sports Sunday panellist Richard Freedman said before the race.

The son of Galileo was owned by Nick Williams, son of horseracing icon Lloyd Williams.

Moments after the accident, vets and assistant staff rushed to the scene and put up tarpaulin while they treated the animal.

Cross Counter claimed the third Cup victory for jockey Kerrin McEvoy at Flemington. Marmelo came in second and Prince of Arran finished third. Red Cardinal was past the post last.

It is the fourth time in the past six years that the Cup has been shrouded by the death of horses.

French-trained horse Verema had to be put down after an injury suffered in the 2013 Cup.

A year later pre-race favourite Admire Ratki died after collapsing from heart failure in the stalls minutes after the race. In the same 2014 race, import Araldo had to be euthanised because of an injury suffered when he was returning to scale.

Araldo placed seventh but was spooked by a flag in the crowd on the way back to weigh in, kicking out and breaking a rear leg on a fence.

In 2015 crowd favourite and three-time Cup runner up Red Cadeaux had to be euthanised two and a half weeks after the Cup as a result of complications from an injury suffered in that year's race.

- with AAP