HMS Seahorse was killed during the third race of the day, the BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle, following a horrific fall at the final jump.
In a field packed with runners, HMS Seahorse was the second horse of this race to fall and the second horse of the festival to be killed.
Campaign Manager, Isobel McNally, said: “This is a shocking incident, but not a surprising one. Animal Aid has been monitoring horse racing for decades and we have seen thousands of deaths as the result of injuries or collapses sustained whilst racing. Enough is enough.”
As on the opening day of the festival, a further 22 horses did not complete their races or were ‘pulled up’, either due to exhaustion, distress, or injury. Sometimes, this leads to deaths hours or even days later, away from cameras and the concerned public. We will continue working to ensure transparency about the fate of these horses once they leave the track.
Further resources:
- Our latest annual report, Victims of British and Irish Horse Racing 2025-26 is available now.
- Death Watch launched in 2007 after nine horses died during Cheltenham the previous year. We aim to record and expose every single death of horses due to on-course injuries in Britain.
- In 2026, we’re celebrating the Year of the Horse and asking people to boycott watching or betting on racing.
For more information or an interview, contact Isobel McNally at isobel@animalaid.org.uk or 01732 364546.
