因在Racing Victoria遭受欺凌而辞职的前墨尔本杯赛事兽医Grace Forbes近日获得赛马兽医协会（EVA）颁发的Patricia Ellis奖[1]。Forbes于去年12月离职，随后与Racing Victoria签署保密和解协议[1]。在法律文件中，Forbes指控该机构首席执行官Aaron Morrison和诚信部门主管Jamie Stier压迫她批准存在"高风险伤害"隐患的国际马匹参赛[1]。
Forbes获奖主要源于其建立的国际马匹安全检测协议[1]。该协议自2021年实施以来，墨尔本杯保持了零马匹死亡纪录[1]，形成鲜明对比的是2013年至2020年间共发生7起马匹死亡事件[1]。2024年赛季，有5匹参赛马因未通过检测被撤出比赛，其中包括爱尔兰训练师Aidan O'Brien的Jan Brueghel[1]。Forbes在演讲中表示："作为兽医，我们的首要责任不是对行业、马主或训练师，而是对马"[1]。
当前Racing Victoria的首席兽医职位仍处于空缺状态[1]，此前任命的Glenn Robertson-Smith因涉及9年前的威胁电话指控而被撤销任命[1]。
Grace Forbes, a veterinarian who resigned from Racing Victoria in December of last year, has been awarded the Patricia Ellis Award by the Equine Veterinarians' Association for her work establishing international horse safety protocols [1]. Forbes departed her position after signing a confidentiality settlement agreement with Racing Victoria [1].
In legal documents, Forbes alleged that Racing Victoria Chief Executive Aaron Morrison and integrity department head Jamie Stier pressured her to approve international racehorses deemed high-risk for injury [1]. Her internationally-focused safety assessment protocol, implemented since 2021, has maintained a zero-fatality record at the Melbourne Cup—a marked contrast to the seven horse deaths recorded between 2013 and 2020 [1]. In 2024 alone, five competing horses were withdrawn from the race after failing inspection, including Jan Brueghel, trained by Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien [1].
During remarks on her award, Forbes stated: "As veterinarians, our primary responsibility is not to the industry, horse owners or trainers—it is to the horse" [1]. The position of Chief Veterinarian at Racing Victoria remains vacant following the rescinded appointment of Glenn Robertson-Smith, whose nomination was withdrawn due to threatening phone call allegations from nine years prior [1].