Tragedy has struck at Caulfield Racecourse, with Racing Victoria confirming the death of New Zealand mare Ohope Wins following a horrific multi-horse fall during the Caulfield Cup.
The incident occurred inside the final 200 metres of the 2,400-metre feature race. As the field packed together, 2025 Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours appeared to make contact with Kings Valley, causing the champion gelding to lose his footing. Half Yours crashed to the turf, unseating jockey Mark Zahra, while Ohope Wins, trained by Chris Waller, was unable to avoid the downed horse and subsequently fell.
Racing Victoria Stewards issued a somber statement shortly after the conclusion of the race, confirming the worst for the Chris Waller Racing entry. “The mare was unable to be saved due to the nature of the injury sustained,” the statement read, confirming she was euthanased by the on-course veterinarian.
The atmosphere at the track turned from celebration to concern as the remaining runners passed the post, with Gavin Bedggood’s Kingswood declared the winner of the prestigious race. However, the victory was heavily overshadowed by the welfare of both the equine participants and the riders.
Jockeys Mark Zahra and Jye McNeil were both treated by medical staff on the track. Officials reported that both riders were “conscious and alert” before being transported to a local hospital for further assessment and precautionary scans.
Half Yours, despite being at the center of the collision, fared significantly better than his counterpart. The McEvoy Racing stable confirmed the Melbourne Cup winner returned to his stall under his own power. Trainer Tony McEvoy expressed relief that his horse’s injuries were limited to superficial wounds.
“That was terrible to watch,” McEvoy said post-race. “The horse, he’s got a couple of lacerations, he seems bright, he seems composed in himself. He’s got a laceration under his arm, he’s got a laceration on a hind leg. They look superficial.”
The incident caused significant delays to the remainder of the race day, with the final event pushed back as stewards conducted an inquiry and grounds staff attended to the track surface.
The loss of Ohope Wins has cast a dark cloud over the racing industry. Animal welfare advocates and the racing community have expressed their condolences to the connections of the mare, as the sport grapples with the inherent risks involved in high-stakes competition. Racing Victoria is expected to release a full report on the circumstances of the fall in the coming days as stewards continue to review the race footage and take evidence from the riders involved.
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