Racing minister Martin Pakula today announced support for the $5.25 million Equine Limb Injury Prevention Research Program aimed at the early detection and prevention of bone injury to racehorses. The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses campaign director Elio Celotto said the funding was misdirected. He said funding should be used to phase out the whip in horse racing and ban jumps racing.

“Rather than that money being spent on research, this money should be spent on passing out the whip and getting rid of two-year-old racing,” Mr Celotto said.

Head of U-Vet Equine Centre Professor Chris Whitton said the research would be used to develop management plans. “The funding will go towards new equipment that will improve bone imaging, investigate bone mechanical and structural properties, and measure the loads generated in a horse’s limb while galloping.”