Melbourne Cup: Trainer hits back at politician for ‘embarrassing’ attack on the racing industry

The trainer of the horse that ran second at the Melbourne Cup has blasted NSW Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi for her misguided attack.

Horse trainer Charlie Fellowes has hit out at NSW Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi after the politician complained of animal cruelty on Melbourne Cup day.

Jockey Michael Walker was fined for excessive whip use while riding Prince Of Arran to second place in the race that stops the nation and Rostropovich suffered a fractured pelvis at Flemington as it limped home in last place.

Senator Faruqi, who is also the Greens’ animal welfare spokesperson, voiced her outrage at the treatment of the horses on Twitter — saying she was “horrified” to hear of Walker’s whipping violation — before reinforcing her desire for a Royal Commission into the racing industry.

“When animals and gambling mix, animals always suffer,” Senator Faruqi said in a statement.

“This is just so tragically predictable. Year after year we see the needless suffering of horses, yet nothing changes. I really hope Rostropovich recovers fully.

“Cruel practices like whipping happen every day in the horse racing industry, just as horses are pushed to the point of injury — all for the sake of a bet.

“Today’s suffering at the Melbourne Cup is yet more evidence we need a Royal Commission into cruelty in the horse racing industry. I’ll be calling on the Senate to support a Royal Commission when Parliament sits again next week.

“If the major parties care about animal welfare and preventing the kind of suffering they saw today they will support my call.”

However, Fellowes, who trains Prince Of Arran, responded angrily to Senator Faruqi on social media.

Your lack of knowledge on horse racing is embarrassing. come to werribee tomorrow and I will personally introduce you to Prince of Arran. You will quickly realise that he is not abused, in pain, or suffering. Like every horse in my stable he is loved more than any household pet

— Charlie Fellowes (@FellowesRacing) November 5, 2019

Prince Of Arran was promoted from third to second after a stewards protest saw Master Of Reality demoted from second to fourth for impeding Il Paradiso, who was promoted from fourth to third.

Walker was slapped with a seven-meeting ban and $10,000 fine for using his whip 12 times before the final 100m — far exceeding the five whips allowed.

“I broke the rules that we have in place,” Walker said. “I’m not one that generally breaks the rules with regards to whip.

“It’s the Melbourne Cup. I was just throwing everything to see if I could win the race. It’s not like it was a maiden at Echuca. It’s the Melbourne Cup.

“My style, my thoughts … all changed. I thought I was going to get there. But at the end of the day I broke the rule.”

Meanwhile, Rostropovich is in a stable condition and expected to make a full recovery after suffering a stress fracture to his pelvis during the Cup.

The horse was taken to the University of Melbourne Equine Centre and will be confined to box rest for the near future, Racing Victoria (RV) said in a statement.

Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi is an advocate for animal welfare.

Originally published as Melbourne Cup: Trainer hits back at politician for ‘embarrassing’ attack on the racing industry