Hong Kong Derby winners to NZTR Welfare Ambassadors
Dual Hong Kong Horse of the Year Werther and Hong Kong Derby winner Ping Hai Star have added another job to their glowing resume.
The pair, who are living out their retirement here at Highden Park, have become New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Welfare Ambassadors and will start to visit New Zealand race tracks from December to promote horse welfare post-racing.
“It is a new concept through NZTR,” said Libby, “Welfare has become such a big issue and we all need to put it to the forefront when we are breeding and racing these animals.
“They will just be called upon when needed. They will head to their first event on the 5th of December at Trentham"
Bleakley is excited about the new concept and said it will give the two former stars of the track the opportunity to help grow the profile of the sport in a positive light.
“It's such a privilege and it wasn't something we were anticipating when we rehomed the boys,” Bleakley said. “These horses love having something to do, they love having a job. They look after weanlings for us and they go on the truck to keep mares company, and I think they will thrive with this next step.”
Horses like Ping Hai Star and Werther both ended their careers with injuries, according to the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, these are the ‘discarded’ horses. So to prove these people wrong the boys are going to show that there is a life after racing.
