Dear Supporter

For the past months, CPR has been following up with Tasracing and the new Racing Integrity Commissioner regarding some horrific cruelty allegations against a Tasmanian racehorse trainer. Last week the inquiry decision was published:

Trainer Tony Vivian-Smith has been disqualified for 12 months for starving the six-year-old Thoroughbred mare Krupt Candy to death at his stables in Brighton. 

According to the witnesses who reported the trainer to the local Stewards, he had allegedly been using a grazing muzzle on the mare to prevent her from windsucking, while also preventing her from eating.

Krupt Candy was allegedly in normal body condition when she arrived at Vivian-Smith’s stable in September 2024, but a month later had lost a substantial amount of weight. When several complaints to the local Stewards led to an inspection on December 16th 2024, the veterinarian scored Krupt Candy’s body condition as being between 0 and 1 (out of 5), indicating an extremely poor condition.  The veterinarian also found she suffered from kidney disease.

Subsequently Krupt Candy had to be euthanised due to her deteriorated condition.

It was not until the visit by the Stewards that Tony Vivian-Smith acknowledged the mare’s extremely poor condition. This newly Tasracing licenced trainer has been involved in the racing industry as a registered stablehand and owner for 20 years.

CPR finds Tasracing’s so-called penalty of 12 months disqualification for trainer Tony Vivian-Smith completely inadequate. The decision fails to acknowledge the seriousness of the matter – that Krupt Candy died as a result of his actions. As such, we have reported the case to the RSPCA in the hope that the trainer can be prosecuted for breaching the Animal Welfare Act.

Also last week, CPR submitted our comments to the current Code of Practice for Racehorse Welfare in Tasmania. Once again, we are calling for immediate action to bring the racing industry’s minimum welfare standards up to current international standards for horse welfare, and to educate all members of the racing industry accordingly.

Second Jumps Horse Killed - Protest at Warrnambool

On 13th April at Pakenham, during what was only the third jumps race meeting in the 2025 Victorian season, nine-year-old Zedstar tore up a previous tendon injury and was subsequently killed off track. Zedstar is now already the second jumps horse to be killed in the 2025 season and there are still 13 more jumps race meetings to go.  

This Thursday 1^st May at 11am, CPR will be protesting alongside other animal advocates at the Warrnambool Jumps Racing Carnival. Yet again we will be calling on Racing Victoria to put do what every other Australian state has already done: End the inherently dangerous jumps races for good. Please join us if you can and lend your voice to the jumps horses who are forced to risk their lives.

WHERE: Meet outside Warrnambool Racecourse, 2/64 Grafton Rd, VIC 3280

WHEN: Thursday May 1st, 2025 at 11am

WHAT TO BRING: Refreshments and appropriate clothing for the weather. Placards and banners will be provided!

RSVP and more details here.

Supporter, we rely entirely on your generous donations and support to continue to grow awareness of the cruelty in the racing industry and build momentum for change. Thank you so much for making it possible!