A HORSE breeder is still fighting for compensation after her first racehorse had to be put down when staff failed to fill in large holes on the racetrack.

Pauline Cowey spent six years raising the bay gelding Hitman Harry, who had a promising career ahead of him, before suffering the devastating injury at Newcastle Racecourse.

The 60-year-old, who runs Thatchmire Stud at Liverton, east Cleveland is chasing £58,000 in compensation after the Arena Racing Company (ARC) admitted liability for the accident which led to the death of the promising thoroughbred gelding.

Hitman Harry had to be put down by a vet at Newcastle Racecourse after he severed his superficial flexor tendon in the fall during the Maiden Open National Hunt Flat race on November 14, last year.

It emerged that the racecourse had failed to fill in the holes and repair the ground properly following the removal of a hurdle and resulted in the firm being fined £4,500 by the British Horseracing Authority.

Arena Racing also admitted liability for the accident, and Mrs Cowey claimed £58,000 in compensation for the horse she had raised from birth.

However, three months on she is still waiting for the claim to be settled and has had to call equine law specialists Shaw and Co, of Newcastle.

She said: “To be honest, every time I have to talk about it it’s upsetting because it just brings the whole thing and what happened to him back.

“The fact that the insurers are just dragging their heels makes it all the more difficult really. It is so unfair.”

“I got a letter from ARC saying it was sorry, and that it would do all it could to settle the matter swiftly.

“I sent its insurers a letter saying what I valued the horse at.”

Mrs Cowey started breeding her own racehorses because buying them in was so expensive, she said. The 16.2 hands-high Hitman Harry was her first homebred to run.

She said: “I’d had Hitman Harry him from being born. He was very athletic, with a fantastic personality and everybody who knew him loved him. He was just one of those charismatic horses that everybody likes.”

Speaking of the accident, she said: “There was never any hope him ever making a recovery. It was very distressing. We were devastated. My niece who was with me won’t come racing any more. The whole family has been devastated by it.”

ARC’s director of external affairs Susannah Gill said: “We are aware of the regrettable incident involving the loss of Hitman Harry.

“Following the investigation our insurers admitted liability to Mrs Cowey. At this present time Mrs Cowey is yet to submit full evidence in respect of her claim. Our insurers remain in contact with her solicitors. Due to the ongoing claim we cannot make any further comment.”