Four Horses Die During Cheltenham Festival, Two on Final Day
Four horses have died during this year's Cheltenham Festival, with two fatalities occurring on the final day of racing.
Envoi Allen, who finished ninth in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase, collapsed shortly after completing the race.
Saint Le Fort was euthanised after falling at the last obstacle in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.
Following the death of Envoi Allen, a spokesperson for Cheltenham Racecourse stated the horse was "immediately attended to by a team of veterinary experts but sadly passed away." Race organisers were contacted for comment regarding Saint Le Fort's death.
The spokesperson further described Envoi Allen as a "supremely talented horse" and extended "heartfelt condolences to all his connections."
These incidents come after the deaths of HMS Seahorse on Wednesday and Hansard on Tuesday during the festival.
The League Against Cruel Sports charity reported that these fatalities bring the total number of horse deaths at the Cheltenham Festival since 2000 to 82.
Envoi Allen's Final Race and Legacy
The race was intended to be Envoi Allen's final competitive appearance, with his owners, Cheveley Park Stud, having previously confirmed his retirement plans.
At 12 years old, Envoi Allen was the oldest competitor in the Gold Cup race.
He was widely regarded as a legend within the sport, having secured three victories at Cheltenham and achieving ten Grade 1 wins throughout his career.
Richard Thompson, director of Cheveley Park Stud, commented on the incident:
"We didn't see [the collapse]. The vets OK-ed them all [after the race] and Darragh [O'Keeffe, the jockey] said he was pricking his ears, then he came up and went over as he was coming out of the chute.
He had just retired and he's just gone in a minute or two."
"He was such an unbelievable horse. This was not the ending we wanted, but unfortunately that is what has happened.
He's been an incredible servant, wonderful over the years, and this is such a sad way to go."
Darragh O'Keeffe, the jockey, said:
"Everything was grand and I was happy out there. He pulled up A1 and everything like that, but when we were trotting back [after the race] he collapsed.
He was unbelievable and a special horse. He won numerous races and it just happened so fast."
Veterinary and Official Statements
James Given, representing the British Horseracing Authority, told Racing TV that Envoi Allen had "almost certainly" suffered a "very acute cardiovascular collapse."
"It happened very quickly, the vets were immediately with him but he was passing very quickly," Given said.
He added that Envoi Allen had undergone a standard pre-race examination on the morning of the event.
"He had his heart listened to, he was trotted up, his limbs were checked. Everything was normal as you'd expect," he explained.
Andrew Thornton, a Gold Cup-winning jockey, described the death as a "real dampener" during an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live.
"He was a magnificent horse, and it was his eighth time at the festival," Thornton said.
Concerns Raised by Animal Welfare Group
Emma Slawinski, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, expressed her reaction to the fatalities:
"A third horse death in only four days is heartbreaking news but not a surprise – every year horses are raced to their deaths at the Cheltenham Festival.
Since the turn of the century, the death toll of horses that have died at the festival has reached 81, which is simply shocking.
There would be a huge outcry if this death toll happened in any other sport, so we need to start prioritising horse welfare."
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