‘We have got him in the paddock … and he is fine’: Racehorse reported by the ABC as being condemned to a brutal death in a pet food factory is revealed to be alive and well
- An ABC 7.30 report covered the widespread slaughter of retired racehorses
- One horse in the report, Reliable Kingdom, was sent to a knackery in Sydney
- The former owners watched the story, bought back the horse and saved its life
A racehorse reported to be condemned to death in a knackery is actually alive and well.
The five-year-old gelding, Reliable Kingdom, was among nine horses sold through Camden Horse Sales and sent to Burns Pet Food at Riverstone in Sydney where they were going to be killed.
But after the horse’s former owners watched an ABC report on racehorses being sent to be butchered and learnt of Reliable Kingdom’s fate, they decided to buy him back.
‘We have got him in the paddock … and he is fine,’ Racehorse syndicator from Import Racing David Mourad told The Daily Telegraph.
The five-year-old gelding, Reliable Kingdom (pictured), was among nine horses sold through Camden Horse Sales and sent to Burns Pet Food at Riverstone in Sydney where they were going to be killed
Mr Mourad initially bought and syndicated Reliable Kingdom, who won more than $125,000 in prize money during his racing career.
But after a bad back prevented the horse from racing further, he was rehomed through Mr Mourad’s trainer.
‘After I saw the ABC story I was very distressed and contacted our trainer to find out who had rehomed him,’ Mr Mourad said.
Mr Mourad said the couple who bought him tried to retrain him as a riding horse.
After that was unsuccessful they took Reliable Kingdom to the Camden Horse Sales where he was sold to a pet food company.
When they found out he was sent to a knackery, the man’s wife became upset and contacted the pet food company and bought him back.
Mr Mourad contacted the couple and bought the horse, who was brought back to Cavallo Part Stud at Putty, two hours northwest of Sydney.
Stud manager Cate Lavander said when Reliable Kingdom arrived home, he was overjoyed and remembered her immediately.
‘He is definitely himself, still full of character and he came straight up to give me a cuddle,’ Ms Lavander said.
But after the horse’s former owners watched the ABC’s report and learnt of Reliable Kingdom’s fate, they quickly bought him back and saved his life (pictured: Burns Pet Foods)