Japanese pre-race favorite Admire Rakti dies after finishing last in Melbourne Cup

Terrible news. The Japanese horses are always welcome and supported here in Melbourne. Condolences to connections

The Japanese horses are always welcome and supported here in Melbourne.

That horse was a Japanese hero which won the last Caufiled cup. It was sad to know winning horse from Caufield Cup ended in the stall like that. Many J breeders and trainers will be reluctant to compete there again. Breeding and training horse cost the fortune unlike punting a few bucks in the TAB. For breeders, losing the horse will be the same as losing own children. They lost their investment and optimism.

Many J fans of Admiral Rakti have decided it may be their last trip to down under. It is not the issue of winning and losing. They do not want to refresh the unpleasant memory of passing away of their hero horse. Racing horse is in fact animal cruelty. Animals die for human pleasure and greed.

Carrying the top weight of 58.5 kgs, the horse was clearly agitated after the race

Overweight Jockey may be the cause of death for pre race favourite horse. If it is, he should not ride any horse again.

He finished last? Perhaps the poor beast died of shame. RIP, Admire Rakti.

This year Melbourne cup is very sad day for horses. Not only one but also two horses had to die for the race that stop Australia. After the race, Australia move on however two horses have stopped and never come back again for race. It is the animal cruelty.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/the-dark-side-of-horse-racing-why-the-race-of-two-melbourne-cup-runners-ended-in-tragedy/story-fnj94izo-1227112579156

As the animal lover, I will request my fellow JT posters for boycotting Melborne Cup which has killed many horses. It is unfair for horses needs to put down for broken leg because of waving flag from spectators. There are little concern about the horse welfare. Japanese horse death was the natural cause. However the horse called as Araldo death was caused by irresponsible spectators and organizers.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/more-sports/melbourne-cup-2014-this-is-the-ugly-side-of-the-race-that-stops-a-nation/story-fndukor0-1227110905811

Last year Melbourne Cup, the horse Verema also shattered her cannon bone during the ‘Race That made winners and losers" was promptly put behind a green screen and killed on the track. It may be over reacted by owner.

If next year race, one of the horse die again, Melbourne cup will become the cemetery of racing horses.

So very sad for the horse Wished it was a better outcome for the horse.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the owners,trainers and all the connections on the very sad and unexpected loss of Beautiful Admire Rakti,just heart breaking..

Nathaw, you clearly have no idea what you're talking about and should calm down.

Many J breeders and trainers will be reluctant to compete there again.

Rubbish! Delta Blues and Pop Rock, both Japanese horses, took the Melbourne Cup quinella not long ago. There are numerous Japanese apprentice jockeys learning in Australia and many stables have connections between the countries. This was a freak tragedy. Perhaps the horse was carrying too much weight on a track harder than what it was used to. But that happens all the time and when it does horses usually fade and finish well back in the field. They don't get back to the stable and collapse.

Many J fans of Admiral Rakti have decided it may be their last trip to down under.

Really? You know this for a fact, do you? Some connections travelled to Australia but I don't know of any "fans" that did. It's a horse, not a football team.

Overweight Jockey may be the cause of death for pre race favourite horse. If it is, he should not ride any horse again.

The weight a horse carries INCLUDES the jockey NOT in addition to what's allotted. Where on earth did you get that ridiculous, libelous idea? The jockey is absolutely distraught by what has happened. He knew the horse. You're acting like you did.

Owner Riichi Kondo had told Fairfax Media after that win he might consider pulling the Tomoyuki Umeda-trained stayer out of the Melbourne Cup if he was penalised with an extra half a kilo of weight.

The weight a horse carries INCLUDES the jockey NOT in addition to what's allotted.

OK, I admit I'm not a fan of horse racing and therefore not familiar with common practices. Am I reading this right? Horses that do well in previous races are penalized with additional weight they have to carry in subsequent races? If so, why bother trying to raise a racing thoroughbred if the fast ones get hobbled so the slow ones have a chance?

@ Larry - the Melbourne Cup, along with a great deal of other horse races world-wide are "handicap" races: favourites carry the heaviest weight, also-rans carry the lightest. It makes betting more attractive and thus lucrative. Part of the business that is horse-racing.

@BurakuminDesNOV. 04, 2014 - 04:57PM JST He finished last? Perhaps the poor beast died of shame. RIP, Admire Rakti.

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This is in Sport Board, People here are nice, not like other boards. Don't be cruel.

RIP Admire.

heynong, if you have an issue with animal cruelty, direct your angst at the whole thoroughbred industry worldwide and not just the Melbourne Cup. Steeplechase racing is far more dangerous for horses and jockeys.

Yes, the last two years have cost three horses their lives in the Melbourne Cup. But they were all accidents, a broken cannon bone during the race, a collapse in the stable post race and a broken cannon bone after the race. Extremely tragic and for many horse lovers like me, just heartbreaking. But over the long history of the Cup such accidents remain unusual.

As the animal lover, I will request my fellow JT posters for boycotting Melborne Cup which has killed many horses.

False and a little over-reactionary but I'm sure the Cup will survive without you.

It is unfair for horses needs to put down for broken leg because of waving flag from spectators.

It was a small child waving a flag that startled the horse. You make it sound like hooligans caused this.

There are little concern about the horse welfare

How did you come to that conclusion? The horses have teams of veterinarians, conditioners, officials and stable hands taking care of them. They're treated like stars and they're adored. This is big news because people are shocked and touched by these tragedies. You're trying to dig up a scandal that doesn't exist.

banz10

you clearly have no idea what you're talking about and should calm down.

In fact, you may not be horse lover. Nathaw and heynong are horse lovers. While you are enjoying party for your win, two horse have died sadly. As the horse lovers, they have rights to post their opinion about the racing industry and Melbourne cup. It can be called as freedom of expression.

This was a freak tragedy.

This freak tragedy happed before. Were you born before 1979 and watched 1979 Melbourne cup?. Pre race favourite called as Dulcify shared the cruel fate with Admire Rakti. After 35 years, that tragedy revisited again in killing field known as Melbourne cup.

Perhaps the horse was carrying too much weight on a track harder than what it was used to.

If so, racing the horse carrying overweight was obviously animal cruelty and sending Admire to the heaven with one way ticket. It is heartless and disgusting.

False and a little over-reactionary but I'm sure the Cup will survive without you.

If you visit Aussie social media, many Aussie and coalition of racing horses lobby group are demanding for tougher action or banning the touch race. Admire is not only admired by Japanese but also countless Aussie and world wide viewers.

It can be assumed that Admire Rakti death was natural. However Araldo death can be prevented by controlling spectator for not waving flag and covering wooden rail with soft foam. It is caused by incompetence and negligence of race organizers.

but I'm sure the Cup will survive without you

True! the cup has survived before we were born it will survive because of greedy racing industry. However it has lost the reputation as killing filed of many racing horses. Many animal lovers will boycott it.

The horses have teams of veterinarians, conditioners, officials and stable hands taking care of them.

They are no longer being trusted as safe hand for taking care of the horses. Horse have roughly 40 litres of blood and it will increase 60 litres during racing. One third of racing horses will bleed into the lungs during the race. One per cent will bleed out through the nose. Some got heart attack and haemorrhage due to racing beyond their capacity.

Race favourite was also carrying 58.5 kgs in the past 60 yrs. only two horses known as Rain lover with 60.5 kg in 1969 and Rising Fast with 59.5 kg in 1954 won the race. Therefore putting extra weight on the pre favourite horses should be outlawed as animal cruelty.

I don't know enough to take sides here, but I do know that horserace deaths as a whole aren't "freak accidents". The rate of death is higher than one every three days,and that's just in Australia....

Zenpun

In fact, you may not be horse lover. Nathaw and heynong are horse lovers.

I am very much a horse lover and have owned horses. This was a tragedy.

they have rights to post their opinion

And I have the right to rebuke them. What's your point?

This freak tragedy happed before.

Of course it has but nowhere near the frequency that you're implying. Admire Rakti sadly died of acute heart failure. It was a rare condition that can also happen to human athletes. Unfortunately it is hard to detect until it's too late. If a marathon runner died the same way would you be proportioning blame to the race organisers? BTW, I remember Dulcify well.

killing field known as Melbourne cup

Being a little melodramatic, aren't we?

It is heartless and disgusting.

In hindsight I'm sure the Japanese owners wouldn't have raced their horse if they'd believed there was a health risk. Two weeks earlier it won the 2400m Caulfield Cup and until the Melbourne Cup had shown no sign of ill health. Again, it was a freak accident.

If you visit Aussie social media...

Of course it's been big news and there are those like you that are screaming "animal cruelty". Everyone's sad about this but the vast majority have common sense and realise that it was an unpredictable accident in a sport, like many, that does have risks.

controlling spectator for not waving flag

I've been to the races in Australia more times than I can remember and I can't recall anyone ever bringing a big flag. That was odd behaviour and reckless. Thoroughbreds are very flighty. I hope proper action is taken.

One third of racing horses will bleed into the lungs during the race.

I don't know if the rate is that high but it does happen. Horses that are known to have "bled" are forcibly suspended until it is satisfied that they are healthy. The rules are very strict. As I've said before, if you believe horse racing is cruel then address the issue to the whole worldwide racing industry, not just the Melbourne Cup because it's prestigious.

banz10

This was a tragedy.

I have read all posts. Although I am not a racing expert, I do believe that Melbourne cup has dark side. Consecutive years death is rare except in Melbourne. The longer that race go on, there will be more deaths.

And I have the right to rebuke them. What's your point?

That point is animals died. Human forced them to go that way. You may not agree with them. Majority in that thread assumed that horses were over loaded and over worked. In fact they are modern day slaves for a few minutes entertainment. Racing party has become the crime sense investigation for autopsy of horse death.

Again, it was a freak accident.

Once is enough for freak accident. As someone who has grown up in 1970s knew that 1979 was the sinful year for cup.

According http://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/horse_racing.php, over 25000 per year were killed in Australia alone. If It is true it is too much suffering of the horses in down under.

As I've said before, if you believe horse racing is cruel then address the issue to the whole worldwide racing industry, not just the Melbourne Cup because it's prestigious.

Melbourne cup race is toucher and most popular among the Japan, HK, Macau and Asia punters. It has established for 154 years. It has also become the international competition. It is the role model for other smaller and less toucher race. That forum is about the horse death of Melbourne cup. Not about world wide racing industry.

not just the Melbourne Cup because it's prestigious.

Some die hard supporters of cup will be sensitive about promoting the animal rights. In the reality, Australia is the champion of racing any four legs animals since founding the nation. Asians do not know much about EU or US. Australia is the closet destination for their punting. It is fair enough for they are only interested in their near by neighbor. Not the distance racing industry from other part of the world.

Athletes,

That forum is about the horse death of Melbourne cup. Not about world wide racing industry.

If people like you wish to raise the issue of animal cruelty you cannot have a balanced argument unless you look at the big picture. Looking at one race in isolation invalidates your point.

Your notion that the Melbourne Cup has a "dark side" is just plain ridiculous and non factual. Almost all Cups run throughout its history have been incident free. The sad coincidence of three horses dying in two years doesn't change that.

Here's an interesting fact. Of the six major thoroughbred racing countries in the world, Australia has the second best fatal injury rate while Japan has the worst, over four times that of Australia.