A second horse has died at the three-day Grand National Festival. The Willie Mullins-trained Dark Raven lost his life after taking a heavy fall at Aintree on Grand National Day.
The winning novice hurdler was contesting the third race on the card, the 3pm Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, when he came down at the seventh flight, reports The Mirror. Jockey Paul Townend was sent tumbling to the ground in the race won by Irish Point.
It was confirmed that the six-year-old had to be put down after being assessed by vets at the course, after Envoye Special suffered a fatal injury while running in the Foxhunters’ Chase on Thursday. Owner Simon Munir said on Twitter: "Thank you for all your kind messages on the sad loss of our dear Dark Raven RIP."
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A spokesperson for Aintree Racecourse said: “Dark Raven was immediately attended to by our expert veterinary professionals during the third race of the day. 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.”
Nine people were arrested at Aintree Racecourse after a large number of protesters attempted to gain entry to the track delaying the start of the Grand National, Merseyside Police said. Dozens of activists climbed fences at Aintree, with at least two affixing themselves to a jump using glue and lock-on devices, climate and animal rights group Animal Rising said.
Police said: "Just after 5pm, a large number of protesters attempted to gain entry on to the course. The majority were prevented from breaching the boundary fencing, but the nine individuals who managed to enter the course were later arrested by officers."
Sarah McCaffrey, a shopworker and student, said: "Whether it's for food or for fun, our use of animals and nature is symbolic of a relationship beyond broken. We're a nation of animal lovers, but the pain these beautiful creatures experience daily does not do that label justice. We need to find ways of loving animals that don't hurt them.
"I truly believe that we are a nation of animal lovers, every one of us. I know everyone coming to Aintree to view the races today would say they love the horses; however, the suffering experienced by them should shock us all. That's why I've decided to put my body between those horses and death on the racecourse, rather than gamble with their lives."
Animal Rising said they were protesting after several horses fell during the Grand National meet. Orla Coghlan, a spokesperson for the group known as Animal Rebellion until Monday, said: "The deaths throughout the Grand National event this weekend add to a heart-breaking list of horses to have died on racetracks this year.
"Animal Rising was trying to prevent precisely the harm that came to the horses during the race. We have begun a massive conversation about our relationship with animals and nature this weekend, hoping to prevent more harm from coming to these beautiful animals, alongside the billions in our food system.
"Today marks not the end, but the beginning, of the summer of Animal Rising. We will be defending animals and nature and creating an unignorable national conversation about our relationship to animals and the natural world."
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