The high number of horse fatalities at this year's Galway Races has left organisers and trainers perplexed.
Galway racecourse officials convened a special meeting on Sunday morning to discuss the fact that 12 horses died during the week-long meeting.
"We decided to call the meeting because the amount of incidents was high and we wanted to be sure that all procedures were being adhered to," said Galway racecourse manager, John Moloney. "We are now satisfied that everything is above board."
The meeting was attended by Mr Moloney, as well as course clerk Joe Collins, course foreman Gerry Broderick, four veterinary surgeons and Laura Britt of the Blue Cross horse ambulance service. They concluded that there was "no specific reason" for the deaths, and that all the animals had been attended within 30 seconds of each incident, as recommended.
There were 11 horse fatalities by the time the meeting was called, and one more died after the meeting on Sunday.
Of the 12, nine were put down and three had died by the time veterinary officials got to the scene.
According to the Racing Post newspaper, five of the fatalities occurred in bumpers, one in a flat race, four in chases and two in hurdle races. Most of the horses died from wounds sustained on course. One animal, Sporting Limerick, broke his neck.
"It is unfortunate. But it's an industry that's growing and growing, and if more horses are going to race then it's inevitable that there will be more incidents," said a spokeswoman for the Blue Cross, which manned the horse ambulance service at the races.