While crowds filled Flemington Park for Tuesday's Melbourne Cup, other onlookers gathered outside in protest.
A hundred and sixty-eight Australian and seven NZ horses died on race tracks this year alone, and an ongoing campaign run by the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses is trying to change the racing industry.
A small protest within the coalition gathered closer to home in Auckland on Tuesday.
Deno Stock was one of the organisers.
Stock spoke to Susie Ferguson.