Envoye Special suffered a fatal injury after unseating his rider while racing over the Grand National fences on the opening day at Aintree.
The winning hunter chaser was competing in the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase for amateur riders, the only race of the day staged on the Grand National course. He was being ridden by James King and was in the front rank early when he lost his partner at the ninth fence, the one before Becher’s Brook.
The Kieran Burke-trained nine-year-old continued riderless but was injured when falling at one of the subsequent fences. He was assessed by Aintree’s on-course veterinary team but the track subsequently confirmed he had unfortunately sustained a fatal injury.
A spokesperson said: “Envoye Special was immediately attended to by our expert veterinary professionals during the Foxhunters’ Steeple Chase. After assessment, sadly they concluded the necessary course of action for the horse's welfare was to put him to sleep. Our sincere sympathies are with his connections.”
Envoye Special had won three times under rules and four out of six point-to-points. He won a hunter chase at Ffos Las on his first run for Burke, having previously been trained by Chris Barber who saddled the winner of the Foxhunters, Famous Clermont.
Josh Newman was taken to hospital after the horse he was riding, and also trains, Sixteen Letters was a faller. He was conscious and talking and taken to Aintree Hospital for further assessment.
