Racing Australia are in panic mode following an ABC report on Thursday night that showed horses being slaughtered - but CEO Barry O'Farrell says the industry is not at fault for the animal cruelty.
An ABC 7.30 report into the treatment of horses in abattoirs showed some truly concerning footage of animal cruelty on a mass scale - and allegations that hundreds of them were ex-racehorses.
But speaking on ABC on Friday morning, O'Farrell said he condemned the people involved - but also got on the front-foot and defended the horse racing industry.
MORE: Weir charged by police
“I was appalled, shocked and horrified but the footage of the treatment of those horses at the abattoir," he said.
"I’d be shocked if anyone had a different reaction, especially those who work in the racing industry...so much care and attention are put on our thoroughbreds.
“Of course we condemn it, but let’s not conflate two issues here. That facility we saw last night had unacceptable practices, was a state abattoir in QLD. Those practices that I saw, I know are serious offences under state animal welfare legislation.
“Two questions have to be asked – where are the state government inspectors, ensuring the quality of these fall into state laws.
"And the program last night said this has been happening for a number of years – so why wouldn’t they have blown the whistle earlier to stop this inhumane treatment? This is not exclusive to thoroughbreds."
O'Farrell went on to try and explain the systems in place within governing bodies of racing in Australia compared to the state and federal laws surrounding animal cruelty.
MORE: Swift pulls out of Cup performance
"Racing Australia is responsible for horses within their sport, we have traceability rules from the moment they are born to the moment they retire from our industry," he said.
"9 out of 10 horses that leave our industry go into the equestrian or breeding sectors. After they are retired, we can no longer have stewards go and check them, they become the property of whoever bought them and whoever they sell them to.
"That’s where state and federal authorities need to be involved, and that’s why support a national horse traceability register to ensure they are all on a register, the same way cats and dogs are at a state level.
"The NSW racing authority can only regulate within its borders, it can’t stop horses going across the border.
"Racing Australia conduct a sport, we track our horses. We’re not the government of Australia, we can’t introduce laws."
It is a fair defence from O'Farrell and proves that this issue is far more widespread than just the horse racing industry.
MORE: Who will take Winx's crown in 2019?
With a big weekend of racing including The Everest in Sydney and the Caulfield Cup in Melbourne, it is clear that this report has been released now to stir up the issue during a pivotal time of the racing calendar.
But O'Farrell remains adamant that those involved with racehorses show nothing but the utmost care and attention to the horses.
“I believe that if you look within the racing industry and talk to people within the industry, the horses are instrumental to what they do," he said.
"They are cherished because without the horse in racing, there is no racing and 75,000 jobs across the country would be lost.
“I know that Peter V’landys or any of the other CEO’s across the country of Australia do everything they can to ensure the sport of racing thrives and flourishes, but also that the responsibility for equine welfare is as high as possible within their jurisdiction.
"The industry spends 10s of millions of dolalrs a year to ensure the horses get the best possible care and attention.
'What we can’t ensure because we’re not legally allowed to is that when horses leave the industry. That is why we have federal and state governments as well as animal welfare laws."