Flag-waver slammed over Melbourne Cup death - NEWS.com.au

Vision captured by Channel Seven shows the moment Melbourne Cup star 'Araldo' was spooked by a flag, leading to its tragic death. The tragedy has prompted changes to safety from the VRC. Courtesy Channel Seven News

Dr Brian Stewart, Racing Victoria head of veterinary and equine welfare, discusses the ethical implications of horse racing after two horses, Admire Rakti and Araldo, died after the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

Mark Schneider and his partner are seen waving the flag close to Araldo. Source: Getty Images

NEW footage has emerged of racegoers slamming the man who spooked Araldo, ultimately leading to the Melbourne Cup horse’s death.

Mark Schneider and his partner were identified by Channel 7 as the culprits, with footage showing Schneider and another man holding a woman up on a fence as she waved a large Australian flag.

The incident caused Araldo to stir on the way back to the mounting yard, breaking his leg after getting caught in a fence.

The horse was later euthanised, marking the second death in a tragic aftermath to Australia’s most famous race following favourite Admire Rakti succumbing to acute heart failure.

Mark Schneider (green shirt) is seen holding up his partner as they wave a flag, spooking Araldo. Source: Getty Images

Araldo (left) ridden by Dwayne Dunn is tangled in the fence after reacting to the flag. Source: AAP

Video captured on a mobile phone and obtained by Channel 7 shows a man angrily confronting Schneider, suggesting he found the Araldo situation amusing.

“A horse just got hurt and you thought it was funny,” the man says to Schneider.

“You just put it (the flag) up again.”

“We held it here,” Schneider responded, pointing down.

“You go tell the owners of Araldo, who’ve got a million dollar horse, that’s going to get the vet now saving its life because of you. But you think it’s funny,” the man added.

“We’re here to celebrate,” Scheider said.

The man ended the conversation, saying: “You laughed at security when he came up to you.”

Watch the exchange between an angry racegoer and Schneider in the player above

Another witness told Channel 7: “A few people told him off. I don’t think he really cared until he found out the horse was injured.”

Schneider said later: “ ... as owners ourselves we are shattered at the events of yesterday ... (and) regretting what unfolded and are deeply shaken.”

Schneider told Channel 7 he was a regular Melbourne Cup attendee and that this was certainly not the first time he had waved a flag close to horses.

Indeed, the image below from last year’s race shows a large flag being waved close to Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente.

A large flag is waved close to Fiorente at the 2013 Melbourne Cup. Source: News Limited

After a review, Racing Victoria and the Victoria Racing Club, in consultation with the Victorian Jockeys Association (VJA), yesterday ruled that an alternate procedure would be implemented for the remaining Group 1 races within the 2014 Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Traditionally, the winner of a Group 1 race has been walked by the winning owners down the pathway to the mounting yard with other runners walking closely behind.

In all other races, horses are free to trot back to the mounting yard ahead of the winner.

For the remainder of the Carnival, the winner of the Group 1 races will be led directly from the track to the mounting yard via the clock tower gate.

All others races will remain as is.

Following the death of Araldo, Racing Victoria has announced a ban on flags and a new path for Group One runners returning from the track.