Day one at The Cheltenham Festival has unfortunately had a death as Highland Hunter had to be put down.
The Fergal O’Brien trained horse had competed in the third race of the day, the Ultima Handicap Chase.
O’Brien wrote on X, formally Twitter: “Not sure we’ll be tweeting again today after this. Absolutely devastated.”Thanks for the messages we’re already receiving and those to come.”
Iain Green, director, Animal Aid said on X: ‘The racing authorities, the breeders, the owners, the jockeys and the goverment are equally culpable for putting horses into high-risk situations where their welfare and their live endagered. This isn’t sport, this animal abuse’
