A RACECOURSE in Lincolnshire has seen its horse fatalities more than double in the past year, according to an animal rights group.

Figures released by Animal Aid show Market Rasen Racecourse came second only to Cheltenham in the number of equine deaths for the 12 months from March last year.

The Lincolnshire course is recorded as having 11 fatalities, two behind Cheltenham, but four ahead of third-place Worcester.

In 2009-10, there were five horse deaths at Market Rasen.

Animal Aid's Deathwatch is the only scheme that keeps records of horse deaths on racecourses around the county, a project it has run since 2007.

Spokesman for the group Dene Stansall said: "These figures are shocking and we feel that if the British Horseracing Authority is not willing to take on responsibility for monitoring fatalities it should be handed to an independent group and the authority should lose its autonomous control of racecourses.

"The race-going public have a right to know about the safety records of each course, so they can make an informed opinion on whether to attend or not.

"Every death we record is substantiated, but we do not get told about some incidents."

The figures do not necessarily reflect every death that has happened as the campaign group relies on a number of sources to tell them when horses die during meets.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), speaking on behalf of Market Rasen Racecourse, said it worked closely with animal welfare charities.

Professor Tim Morris, director of equine science and welfare at the BHA, said: "Horseracing has close and constructive relationships with genuine animal welfare organisations, such as the RSPCA, SSPCA, World Horse Welfare and Retraining Of Racehorses.

"Those involved in horse racing care deeply about horses. Some risk to horses is inherent in the sport, as it is to differing degrees in the life of a horse in any environment, but we recognise our responsibility to care for our horses and reduce unnecessary risks. We work with these and other groups to understand and reduce risk.

"Animal Aid, on the other hand, is an animal rights organisation that is against the use of all animals in sport and leisure and actively campaigns against horseracing. To put the figures into context, last year there were more than 90,000 racecourse performances.

"We closely monitor all injuries and will take action if there appears to be any common link between injuries at a specific racecourse."

The BHA confirmed the deaths at Market Rasen did not have a common cause.

All courses in the UK are licensed annually by the authority and work with the authority's inspectors and independent agronomists to make sure surfaces are designed to minimise the risk of injury.

Courses are also limited in the use of turf and racing on hard ground is not permitted in jump racing.