British Racing's Average Fatality Rate Hits Record Low

Figures published by the British Horseracing Authority Jan. 16 show the five-year rolling average fatality rate in British racing is at the lowest on record and suggest the increased rate of 2018 was a blip and ran contrary to the trend.

In 2018, the fatal injury rate was 0.22%, following 201 deaths from 93,004 runners. That was markedly higher than in any year since 2014, the intervening rates having been 0.18%, 0.19%, and 0.18% again.

Last year's 173 fatal injuries from 91,937 runners equates to a rate of 0.19%, and it reduces the five-year average—regarded as the most accurate measure of trends—to that percentage from as high as 0.28% when first published in 1998.

The ongoing reduction in injury rates is thought to be caused by many factors, ranging from ever-improving methods and standards of training, heightened veterinary expertise, more sophisticated practices when it comes to preparing safe racecourses, and the industry's continuous process of assessment, investment, and improvement.

"As with all elite sports and all activities involving horses, horse racing carries an element of risk," said Dr. David Sykes, the director of equine health and welfare for the BHA. "It's the responsibility of the BHA and everyone involved in the sport to ensure we do everything possible to minimize that risk and to ensure no injury or fatality occurs which could reasonably have been prevented.

"Through this approach, and the clear commitment that exists across the entire industry to look after our horses, British racing continues to become safer and safer.

"However, we will never rest on our laurels. We must continue to raise our ambitions when it comes to safety. New research methods, science, and the use of data affords constant opportunities to learn and improve. This is an industry that puts the welfare of its horses at the front and center of all its decisions, and we will continue to prioritize this area."

Sykes is looking forward to further improvements in horse welfare.

"In the near future, the publication of the Horse Welfare Board’s strategy for welfare in racing and the development of a detailed predictive risk model for jump racing are exciting moments for the sport," he said. "Both present genuine opportunities to drive further change."