THE FORGOTTEN 4-YEAR-OLD
While the party vibes rolled across Australia on #MelbourneCup2025, a young horse named Rothfury was dying on a racetrack in Queensland after suffering a catastrophic injury to his near fore carpus.
We first learned about Rothfury’s death through posts by Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses and AnimalKind — and what we uncovered afterward was deeply alarming.
Rothfury had only just turned four years old.
ROTHFURY WAS LAME IN HIS PREVIOUS RACE
JUST A MONTH EARLIER…
In April 2024, he was sold on Inglis Digital for $600 — yes, the same auction platform that proudly boasted about selling the 2024 Melbourne Cup winner.
On the very day that this year’s Cup champion, Half Yours, crossed the finish line first – with a bloody mouth – and was celebrated, Rothfury lost his life.
The irony is staggering.
After being purchased by trainer Adam Briskey, Rothfury was transferred, following the lifting of his embargo on October 3, 2025, to trainer Jason Hancock — who ran him just a month later.
He broke down and died on the track.
That embargo?
It was issued because Rothfury had been declared lame in October.
So how was he cleared to race again so soon?
One well-documented risk factor for catastrophic injury is a change in trainer, yet the system allowed Rothfury to return to racing — despite his injuries and history.
With only 7 horses entered – was the hope that he’d place in the top 4 and they could scrape together a bit of prize money to cover his feed bill?
This tragedy is not an isolated accident.
Research clearly links over-racing and chronic stress fractures to catastrophic breakdowns like Rothfury’s.
He began racing as a two-year-old and by age four had already run 18 races, not including trials and intensive training sessions.
Why was he lame in October and still forced to race in November?
Where was the duty of care?
Perhaps the PR campaigns focused on trying to put a positive spin on the racing industry — #LightUpForRacing and #KickUpForRacing — could provide some of their so called “wanna be” peer-reviewed literature on how this happens, time and again – even though they claim horses live like kings.
Rothfury’s death is a stark reminder of how the racing industry continues to put punters first and horses last.
For more information, commentary, and background on how this cycle of neglect continues, visit:
IF YOU CARE ABOUT HORSES – SPEAK UP
Help us raise awareness.
Boycott horse racing – including saying #nuptothecup.
Support our sanctuaries – they are filled with off the track horses.
What do YOU think?
Join the conversation on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/@NoAussieHorseSlaughter
#MOHM THREATENED?
We’ve been threatened by those in the horse racing industry and those who benefit from horse slaughter more times than we can count.
But we are not going away.
We are going to persist until horse slaughter no longer exists for any purpose within Australia -- and until the horse racing industry makes drastic changes.
We are going to continue our hands-on work to offer lifelong sanctuary to as many horses as possible. We generally have 20 at just one of our locations - at any given time.
We have the acreage to take on more horses as financial support allows.
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