A Saltburn horse breeder is taking legal action after holes in the ground of a racecourse caused the “devastating” death of one of her horses.
Pauline Cowey says she was “horrified” to learn one of six-year-old Hitman Harry’s hind legs had plunged into a deep hole, causing him to fall and become badly injured.
Mrs Cowey, 60, who runs Thatchmire Stud at Liverton, is hoping to claim £58,000 in compensation after the Arena Racing Company (ARC) admitted liability for the accident which led to the death of the promising thoroughbred gelding, who she’d had since his birth.
Hitman Harry had to be put down by a vet at Newcastle Racecourse after he severed his superficial flexor tendon in the fall during the Maiden Open National Hunt Flat race on November 14, last year.
It emerged that the racecourse had failed to fill in the holes and repair the ground properly following the removal of a hurdle.
The accident led to ARC — which operates Newcastle racecourse — being fined £4,500 by the British Horseracing Authority on December 18, after it was found that the “unrepaired ground endangered horses and riders”.
Mrs Cowey has now enlisted the help of equine law specialists Shaw and Co, Newcastle, as she says the matter still has not been resolved three months on.
She said: “To be honest, every time I have to talk about it it’s upsetting because it just brings the whole thing and what happened to him back,”
“I had hoped that the matter could have been settled amicably to prevent further distress, and I have had to resort to solicitors’ action because of the complacency of the insurers.
“The fact that the insurers are just dragging their heels makes it all the more difficult really.
“I got a letter from ARC saying it was sorry, and that it would do all it could to settle the matter swiftly.
“I sent its insurers a letter saying what I valued the horse at.”
Mrs Cowey started breeding her own racehorses because buying them in was so expensive, she said. The 16.2 hands-high Hitman Harry was her first homebred to run.
She said: “I’d had Hitman Harry him from being born. He was very athletic, with a fantastic personality and everybody who knew him loved him. He was just one of those charismatic horses that everybody likes.”
Speaking of the accident, she said: “There was never any hope him ever making a recovery. It was very distressing. We were devastated. My niece who was with me won’t come racing any more. The whole family has been devastated by it.”
ARC’s director of external affairs Susannah Gill said: “We are aware of the regrettable incident involving the loss of Hitman Harry.
“Following the investigation our insurers admitted liability to Mrs Cowey. At this present time Mrs Cowey is yet to submit full evidence in respect of her claim. Our insurers remain in contact with her solicitors. Due to the ongoing claim we cannot make any further comment.”
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