RACING is bracing itself ahead of a Panorama broadcast this evening which will focus on the fate of racehorses after their careers have ended.

The programme, entitled The Dark Side of Horse Racing, will be shown at 8.30pm on BBC1 and includes covert footage filmed inside one of Britain’s biggest abattoirs, which it is claimed shows rules surrounding the slaughter of horses being breached.

The cameras were set up by a campaign group which has called for an end to racing. The footage was filmed at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, during which time it is alleged “dozens” of former racehorses were shot, with regulations to prevent animals from unnecessary suffering contravened on numerous occasions.

Veterinary experts have offered their views on the programme, outlining concerns about the manner of slaughter as well as the transport of horses, especially those with potential injuries.

A leading trainer also features as three of the horses concerned were reportedly trained by them.

The programme claims at least 4,000 racehorses have been slaughtered in abattoirs since 2019, with “most, but not all” trained in Ireland.