Racing: Horses mown down by Taxis as protesters are beaten with batons

The Taxis, the most vicious fence attempted during the Velka Pardubicka in Czechoslovakia, floored five horses during Sunday's race and caused such mayhem that many more were knocked out of contention. Among the fallers at this 5 1/2 ft-high fence and 13ft-wide ditch were the favourite, Zeleznik, and Marcus Armytage's mount, Cortez. Only five horses completed the 4 1/4 -mile course, including the only British-trained runner, the Robert Crosby-partnered Boreen King. There were even bloodier scenes before the race when a demonstration on the track against the cruelty of the course was broken up enthusiastically by baton-wielding police. Some protesters managed to get on to the track during the race but were dragged away by police. Later a tear-gas grenade was let off in the grandstand. The rock-hard ground claimed one fatality during the first race when a locally trained horse injured his forelegs so badly that he had to be destroyed after an agonisingly long delay.

(Photograph omitted)