When grim news broke of another horse dying at this year’s Melbourne Cup festivities, Twitter was quick to weigh in on the divisive horse-racing event.
For those who missed the initial news bulletin, shortly after the 3pm “race that stops a nation” various outlets confirmed that Irish horse, Cliffsofmoher, was euthanised after sustaining a shoulder fracture during the Melbourne Cup:
Horrible news. The Cliffsofmoher suffered a fractured right shoulder when injured in the Melbourne Cup, unfortunately could not be saved. Thoughts with connections. @Racing
— Shane Anderson (@Globalgallop) November 6, 2018
Following the announcement, the RSPCA revealed that Cliffsofmoher is now the sixth horse to die as a result of the race since 2013, joining the likes of Verema, Admire Rakti, Araldo, Red Cadeaux, Regal Monarch:
The Cliffsofmoher becomes the 6th horse to die as a result of the #melbournecup since 2013. Highlights the very real risks to horses from racing.
— RSPCA Australia (@RSPCA) November 6, 2018
Scroll down for the most notable Twitter reactions to news of Cliffsofmoher’s death.
Not surprisingly, there are a shittonne of people arguing that the latest casualty is further proof that the Melbourne Cup is a barbaric and unethical national tradition:
https://twitter.com/MiakateRussell/status/1059632624417759233
https://twitter.com/hipsterdadgamer/status/1059674089118294016
That’s the other thing of course, thoroughbred racing is a sport of children. Cliffsofmoher was a four-year-old. Barely an adult body.
— Jonathan Green (@GreenJ) November 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/elisechant/status/1059679470305521664
https://twitter.com/mazzypaz/status/1059683358311993344
If a human died during the AFL Grand final, you’d hear about it forever. Multiple times a horse has died during the #MelbourneCup and commentators never mention a thing. Are horses that expendable?
— Danial Pearce (@tigris666) November 6, 2018
Others highlight that the number of horse deaths rises significantly when looking at the horse-racing industry on an annual basis (rather than just the single race), pushing the death toll closer to the 137 mark:
https://twitter.com/clapton_jo/status/1059678415630958592
https://twitter.com/MadeleineBell1/status/1059577639466192896
Some added that outlets reporting the event as “tragedy” overlooks the reality of the situation:
“Melbourne Cup tragedy as horse The Cliffsofmoher has reportedly died following the race.”
No. It was put down because it’s leg was broken and the owners would rather destroy it than heal it and let it live out it’s years in a caring environment. #MelbourneCup
— Kitt Carpathian 🇺🇦Ї🌱 (@RareFlowerGrow) November 6, 2018
[jwplayer R96KTr5m]
On the other side of the fence, however, are those who maintain this incident was just an unfortunate accident:
https://twitter.com/YokaiLUFC/status/1059677217599324161
Meanwhile others pushed for more regulation to protect the horses:
https://twitter.com/MelanieMH908/status/1059672745250840576
Some even suggest that there’s something about the Melbourne Cup that leads to more deaths:
Regardless of what you may think of horse racing in general, there’s got to be something seriously wrong with the #MelbourneCup. You don’t see the Kentucky Derby averaging a death each year.
— Bill (@Billablog) November 6, 2018
Then there are those who really don’t give two shits either way:
https://twitter.com/Its_Raylene/status/1059685889025003520
