Cheltenham racing fans horrified as horse collapses and dies seconds after winning race

Disaster struck astatine Cheltenham connected Sunday day arsenic Sean Bowen's Abuffalosoldier collapsed moments aft winning the 2:55 contention - the equine confirmed arsenic passing distant astatine the country contempt swift attraction from medics

Cheltenham fans were near successful a authorities of daze arsenic a equine died moments aft winning a race.

Abuffalosoldier collapsed instantly aft winning the 2:55 astatine Cheltenham connected Sunday - portion of the course's November docket - with medics rushing to its assistance and instantly surrounding it with greenish screens - the modular people of enactment for immoderate collapsed animal. Unfortunately, the equine died astatine the scene, with a connection from Cheltenham Racecourse reading: "Race 4, equine no. 10.

"The victor of our 4th contention ABUFFALOSOLDIER collapsed aft the enactment and was instantly attended by adept veterinary professionals, but sadly could not beryllium saved. Our heartfelt condolences are with his connections."

Meanwhile, the ITV commentary squad gave their ain condolences aft the incident. Ed Chamberlain, said: "I'm acrophobic the quality has conscionable travel done Jon Pullin present astatine Cheltenham that Abuffalosoldier collapsed and died aft our latest contention present astatine Cheltenham. It's hopeless truly for Esme Cook who looked aft the horse, Sean Bowen who rode specified a brave victor of the race.

"He jumped truthful brilliantly - heroic. And Mahler and the Wailers, the owners who we heard from beforehand and mediocre Warren Greatrex, the trainer arsenic well. So desperately sad, this is 1 athletics that takes you the highs and lows, I'm afraid." He added: "It is simply a precise bittersweet and sombre Cheltenham close now."

Fans of the athletics watching crossed the UK were speedy to instrumentality to societal media to stock their ain condolences, with 1 penning connected X: "Poor Sean Bowen, been connected the level 3 times today, erstwhile earlier a race, erstwhile during a race, and past wins and ends up connected the level again. Poor Abuffalosoldier didn’t merit that."

Another added: "Sleep Tight Abuffalosoldier," portion sharing a photograph of the horse, portion a 3rd said: "Abuffalosoldier conscionable collapsed aft the race. How tragic tin it get. Horrible scenes." A 4th penned: "Racing tin beryllium atrocious - not adjacent funny successful immoderate of the bets I person connected for the remainder of the time now. Abuffalosoldier and Bangersandcash passing has maine sick to my stomach."

Meanwhile, a 5th wrote: "Absolute hopeless stuff, that’s enactment a implicit downer connected my full time and astir apt the meeting. RIP Abuffalosoldier, hopefully they tin sanction the contention aft him retired of respect due to the fact that you won’t spot galore amended winners of it."

It comes aft Ben Pauling's Bangers And Cash suffered a fatal wounded during the aforesaid race. Figures amusement that successful Britain, 14,000 horses bask a precocious level of attraction and a prime of life. British racing has self-imposed and enforced payment standards with millions of pounds invested into veterinary probe and education.

In the past 20 years a changeless committedness and concern successful minimising avoidable hazard has seen the fig of horses sustaining fatal injuries connected racecourses alteration by a third, to 0.18% of runners by 2021. Injuries are sadly sustained successful horse racing and tin besides hap portion moving astir a paddock astatine location grooming connected gallops oregon astatine a racecourse.

Independent probe by the Centre for Equine Studies astatine Liverpool University recovered horses are astir 5 times much apt to prolong superior wounded erstwhile successful a tract astatine location than during ridden exercise.