Sunday’s third and last day of the November Assembly at Cheltenham was overshadowed by the loss of life of three horses.
Abuffalosoldier collapsed after successful the Holland Cooper Handicap Chase, the fourth race of the day.
A press release from the racecourse mentioned the seven-year-old, ridden by Sean Bowen and skilled by Warren Greatrex, “was instantly attended (to) by professional veterinary professionals however sadly couldn’t be saved”.
They added: “Our heartfelt condolences are along with his connections.”
Earlier in the identical race, Bangers And Money, from the Ben Pauling yard, additionally collapsed when it was pulled up after the 14th fence.
Within the fifth race of the day, Napper Tandy, skilled by Matthew Smith, sustained a deadly damage after falling two hurdles from dwelling.
A British Horseracing Authority spokesperson mentioned: “The losses of Abuffalosoldier, Bangers And Money and Napper Tandy at Cheltenham at the moment are a tragedy for all connections and the ideas of all of us on the BHA are with them.
“All three had been supplied with excellent care and a focus all through their lives by those that cared for them and no person will likely be extra heartbroken tonight than these people.
“As with all fatalities, we are going to search to know the circumstances behind every incident as we attempt to proceed to cut back avoidable threat in our sport.”
After the deaths of Abuffalosoldier and Bangers and Money, Liam Kearns, lead veterinary surgeon for Jockey Membership Racecourses, informed Racing TV: “(In) each circumstances we name them cardio-vascular collapse, as you’ll be able to’t say at this stage whether or not it’s a true coronary heart assault or whether or not it’s a main blood vessel that has ruptured. However it’s of that nature and subsequently it’s a sudden loss of life state of affairs.
“The vets are deployed throughout the racecourse so each horses had been attended inside seconds and in these conditions of acute collapse there are some medication we will administer but when it’s a true cardio-vascular collapse, not loads could be achieved.
“It is a high-intensity racing state of affairs. Now we have comparable when marathon runners run or long-distance races are run – there may be at all times a priority that athletes at a excessive degree of exertion can with none earlier signs current this example.
“It is an enormous coincidence that it occurred twice in the identical race.
“All horses are totally checked at dwelling earlier than they depart to go to the races, they’re monitored fastidiously after they arrive on the races and trainers and connections love them to bits – no horse would go to the races with any prior data of a state of affairs like this.
“It’s a kind of sudden issues that may strike.”