February proves fatal for 13 greyhounds

La Mirador was killed on his third birthday. Chicago Reign had his front leg torn apart. Weblec Gem bled to death following her race. These are just three of the horrendous deaths suffered by greyhounds raced in February 2023.

Orson Katie suffered a cardiovascular haemorrhage during her 35th start at Angle Park SA on February 2. Aged 2 ½, she had run until her heart or a major blood vessel had ruptured. She was killed by the on-track vet.

Cupidity, just 2 years old, fell turning into the back straight at Richmond NSW on February 3. She suffered a compound fracture of her front leg. Typically these fractures result in the broken bones protruding through the skin. Cupidity was despatched by the on-course vet soon after.

The very same day at Ipswich track in Qld, three year old Cheeky Willow  “injured” her shoulder and foreleg when she was checked going into the back straight. It was her 72nd and last race. She wasn’t deemed worthy of saving despite winning her owner/trainer over $26,000.

Poor Chicago Reign, two years old, failed to finish his 19th and fatal last race at Casino track in NSW on February 7. He suffered an agonising and catastrophic comminuted fracture of his femur with “accompanying massive haemorrhage and soft tissue damage”. His leg was in essence torn apart.

The next day, February 8, at Traralgon in Victoria, four- year old Sonny Daze, a veteran of 79 starts, failed to finish after he fell at the 250m mark. How could he run on with both front legs broken? He can be seen in a still from the race video cartwheeling through the air. He was killed by the on-track vet. Sonny Daze had won his connections $74,000.

On February 12 at Bulli track, NSW, Far From Shy fell and was trampled by other runners. Just a pup at 20 months she fell at the first turn and suffered a comminuted open fracture of her right tibia. Her bone was jutting through her skin. Far From Shy could not go on and was killed by the on-course vet. She had raced only seven times.

At Shepparton track in Victoria the next day, Garside, just 2 years old, only got as far as the first turn before “faltering” and failed to finish his race. He had fractured his right radius and ulna and was killed by the on-track vet soon after. It was his 27th race.

Dubbo track in NSW was the scene of Lieutenant Dan’s 28th and last race on February 18. Again, the first turn proved lethal and again his injury was a compound fracture of his radius and ulna. Lieutenant Dan was not yet 2 ½  and was killed by the on-course vet.

On February 21, at Townsville track in Qld, two-year old Showtime Smiley had nothing to smile about when he suffered a compound fracture of his hock. Despite his agony, he gamely ran on, only to be killed by the on-track vet after his 26th and last race.

Poor three-old Weblec Gem was forced to race in heat wave conditions at Gawler in SA in the “We Love Our Dogs” stake on February 22. The track video shows her staggering after the race before she died of an “abdominal haemorrhage”. The staggering was a sign of her central nervous system malfunctioning likely as a result of heatstroke caused by the strenuous physical exertion of racing at high temperatures. Weblec Gem saved her syndicate the bother of euthanasing her by dying on the track. It was her 50th start and she had won her connections over $21,000.

The very same day, on the Richmond track (again) in NSW, La Mirador fell at the first turn and suffered  agonising compound fractures of BOTH his forelegs. He was killed by the on-track vet. It was his third birthday.

Back to Qld and Bundaberg track, where two-year old Audrey Zola fell at the first turn and was trampled by other runners on February 27. She suffered a “catastrophic offside leg injury”. Audrey Zola was euthanised shortly after.

Black Roses fractured his hock when he fell at the first turn at the Launceston track in Tasmania on February 28. He was three years old and fractured his right hock. Black Roses could not finish his race. He was killed despite winning his owner over $45,000.