Deadliest Year In Australian Horseracing On Record

28 October 2025

In 2024/25, Australian horse racing had its deadliest year on record.

The annual Deathwatch Report from Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) has been released, revealing the number of horses killed from racing in 2024/25 is higher than ever: 175 Thoroughbred racehorses lost their lives from racing in Australia.

This is an increase of nearly 14 percent from last year’s death toll and the highest number of confirmed racehorse deaths across Australia that CPR has recorded to date.

During the 2024/25 racing year, more frequently than ever, deaths of racehorses caused by injuries sustained in racing could not be found via the publicly available Stewards Reports. Instead, CPR received tip offs from industry informants, media reports and followed up on injured horses to compile the data for this year’s annual Deathwatch Report.

“The fact that more racehorses than ever are being taken off the track to be killed so they don’t need to report the deaths in public Steward Reports is a major concern,” said CPR Campaign Director Elio Celotto.

“Firstly, because it tells us that far more horses are killed than CPR can possibly identify. Secondly, because it is deceiving to the Australian public who have a right to know how many horses are killed as a result of exploiting them for gambling and entertainment.”

“We cannot emphasise enough that the deaths and catastrophic injuries sustained by racehorses are not accidents. They are a direct result of pushing horses too far, too fast and way too young”, Mr Celotto said.

Only a week ago the Herald Sun reported that Racing Victoria’s most senior veterinary officer is embroiled in legal action against the governing body, alleging she was being pressured and coerced into allowing horses with a “high risk of catastrophic injury” to race.

“With a record number of horses being killed from racing this year, it’s evident that the racing industry has become even more relentless in their pursuit of profit at the expense of the horses they rely on to exist.”

2024/25 Racehorse Death toll by State:

New South Wales/ACT: 50

Victoria: 40

Queensland: 38

South Australia: 19

Western Australia: 15

Tasmania: 7

Northern Territory: 6

More Australians are joining the ‘Nup’ to the Cup Movement

Each year more Australians become aware of the inherent cruelty of racing and oppose the violence and gambling issues surrounding horse racing in general and the Melbourne Cup in particular.

As a response, more Australians than ever are supportive of CPR’s #nuptothecup campaign, which offers people a meaningful alternative to attending or gambling on the races on Cup Day.

“It’s immensely encouraging to see the ever increasing number of ‘Nup to the Cup’ events being organised all across the country, where people can have fun and dress up on Cup Day without supporting cruelty. Choosing kindness to animals is growing and we’re excited to see this positive change, especially in regard to horseracing,” Mr Celotto said.

Read the full Deathwatch 2024/25 report here: https://horseracingkills.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DeathWatch_2025_28_Oct_2025.pdf 
 

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