BOSSES at Hereford Racecourse have assured punters that racing deaths remain rare despite two horses being put down at last week’s meeting.

One suffered a broken back while another received a broken leg during separate races on different tracks at the Roman Road course last Thursday.

“Sadly, both injuries were serious enough for them to be humanely destroyed,”

said clerk of the course, Katie Stephens.

“We take horses’ welfare massively seriously, along with the state of our course.

“On average we have about 100 horses at each meet and between 13 and 18 race days a year. You could count on one hand the number of fatalities we have.”

The first horse was Gofannon, racing in the Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, while the second was Nyrche, involved in the Hunters Chase, the final race on the card.

“When horses break legs they can’t convalesce like you and me. Often it is not the injury but the secondary conditions they can develop while getting better that cause problems,” said Ms Stephens.

She added the course was regulated by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), which checks its safety all year round.