ON the way home from Saturday's demonstration against the Grand National, I received the depressing news that yet another horse had been killed at this year's meeting at Aintree, bringing the death toll to five. Why is it that there is so little mention of the fatalities and so much written about the winners?

Thursday's racing killed the famous thoroughbred, Exotic Dancer, who suffered a fatal heart attack back at the stables. Receiving far less coverage was the death of Mel in Blue, who broke his neck. Denman, with his history of heart problems, looked as if he had come to grief, but thankfully survived.

Two more horses were killed the following day. Moscow Catch died after a heavy fall that appeared to break his neck, and Lilla Sophia, who was only four years old and had raced just three times before, was destroyed after breaking a leg.

Saturday's overcrowded Grand National had the predictable sequence of horrific falls and accidents, as horses hurtled round the course and were forced to confront massive and dangerous obstacles. Just 17 of the 40 thoroughbreds finished the race. Hear The Echo collapsed in the run-in and, despite oxygen being administered, died. Butler's Cabin also collapsed and required oxygen. At several other races, he'd had to be revived in this way.

One has to wonder why horses who have previous medical conditions, such as Denman and Butler's Cabin, are still deemed fit to race? Why are they pushed, and pushed, patched up and raced again?

Even racing's regulatory body, the British Horseracing Authority, has failed to produce any meaningful data on thoroughbred deaths, when pressed to do so. Instead, it is left to Animal Aid's Race Horse Deathwatch online database to record and make public each and every death of a race horse on Britain's 60 racecourses.

Animal Aid will continue to campaign on behalf of all race horses by taking to task an industry that is motivated by profit, and that races horses to death.

Fiona Pereira

Campaigner

Animal Aid, The Old Chapel, Tonbridge, TN9 1AW

(by email)