Canberra Racing chief executive Andrew Clark condemns the "abhorrent behaviour" revealed in the ABC's 7.30 and says anyone involved will be unwelcome in the ACT industry.
Clark said the introduction of a national traceability register, which is currently before a Senate committee, would help reduce the problem of racehorses being sent to abattoirs and knackeries for slaughter.
An investigation revealed the widespread slaughter of racehorses for pet and human consumption in NSW and Queensland.
That's despite Racing NSW having strict rules preventing their racehorses from being sent to abattoirs.
Canberra Racing follows the same Racing NSW rules, which state "the horse is not to be directly or indirectly sent to an abattoir, knackery or similarly disposed of".
The investigation claimed up to 4000 horses could be getting slaughtered each year.
It also claimed horses from the Hardwicke Stud in Yass were found at an abattoir in Queensland.
According to the racing industry only 0.4 per cent of retired horses - about 8500 retire annually - end up at an abattoir or knackery.
Clark was shocked by what he saw in the 7.30 report - not just that racehorses were being slaughtered, but how they were allegedly being treated by some abattoir workers.
He felt that meant cows, sheep and other animals were also being mistreated.
"I did watch the show last night. It was very disturbing and distressing to watch," he told The Canberra Times.
"Its abhorrent behaviour that we deplore within the racing industry, there's no doubt about that. We condemn those actions entirely.
"I hope that those who have done the wrong thing have the full weight of the law come down on them."
Clark also said anyone found guilty of being involved in the slaughter of racehorses would face life-long bans.
"If they were found to have done that the full weight of the racing rules would come down on them. As it should," he said.
"From my view, I wouldn't welcome them back in the industry ... [any] trainers [who] have been found to have sent their horses directly to an abattoir.
"Unless they're sent at the direction of a veterinarian to euthanase them."
Canberra Racing contributes one per cent of their prize money towards the Racing NSW retirement scheme, which looks to rehome or retrain horses at the end of their racing career.
Clark said the industry was very good at tracking horses from the time they're born until retirement.
But the problem arises post retirement when there's no system in place.
Clark felt the introduction of the national traceability register - which would cover all horses, not just racehorses - would help solve the problem.
He said they would also look to increase their audits to ensure compliance with the rules.
"The racing industry tracks a horse from the time it is born through to the retirement of the horse," Clark said.
"Where we have issues is what happens after retirement. We're part of the NSW retirement scheme that retrains them and looks to rehome them.
"Unfortunately a number of those horses appear to have been passed on through several sets of hands and have ultimately ended up in abattoirs - which is not what the industry is after whatsoever.
"We believe in the program that we're part of with Racing NSW.
"What the industry does need is a national traceability scheme, for all horses, so they can see exactly who has sent those horses to the abattoir."
