On Sunday at Cheltenham, a distressing event unfolded as three horses lost their lives within an hour. Abuffalosoldier, who collapsed as the ITV Racing reporter concluded a post-victory interview with his jockey, brought the November meeting to a somber end. This incident, along with the losses of Bangers And Cash and Napper Tandy during live races on the main ITV channel, highlighted the harsh reality of racing.

ITN's Coverage and the Campaigner's Call

The item about these tragedies was prominently featured at the top of the ITN programme. Presenter Shehab Khan showed footage of Abuffalosoldier's victory and stated, "The winning horse that died just minutes after clinching victory. Now campaigners call for a complete ban on racing." The concerned campaigner was Rose Patterson, co-director of Animal Rising, who disrupted the Grand National and Derby last year but called off her direct action campaign earlier this year. After viewers saw replays of the incidents, Patterson emphasized, "Public support is decreasing for horse racing. We need to be thinking of phasing this out completely and having a complete ban."