Celebre d’Allen killed after racing at the Grand National Meeting

Celebre d’Allen killed after racing at the Grand National Meeting – when will this cruelty end?

Celebre d’Allen aged 13 collapsed after the race – his jockey received a mere 10 days’ suspension from racing. This heartbreaking and needless death brings the death toll of this cruel sporting event up to 67 horses lives lost since 2000.

Around 200 horses are killed as a result of racing on British racecourses every single year. These horses die from excruciating injuries including broken necks, broken backs and heart attacks. Up to 75% of race horses suffer from bleeding lungs.

Says Nina Copleston-Hawkens, Animal Aid Campaigns Manager:

‘It is absolutely heartbreaking that after being ridden in the Grand National Race until he had “no more to give”, Celebre d’Allen has died. To allow a horse of this age to be ridden to death in the most gruelling race in the country is disgraceful – and the blame for his end lies fairly and squarely with the British Horseracing Authority.

It is staggering that the racing industry continues to weave its dishonest fairytale that horses are ‘lucky’ to be born into the racing industry and that they live ‘the best life’. Horses born into this industry live quite the opposite – a dystopian existence where they must exchange their speed on a racecourse or ability to reproduce in order to stay alive. Lives in training are restricted, exploitative and bleak. Once no longer of use, they become vulnerable to an uncertain or horrifying end. If you are against animal-cruelty, then it logically follows that you are against horse-racing – and the Grand National is one of the most disturbing displays of this cruelty.’