Deaths of Horses At Cheltenham

We have had horses in training for many years.

Two horses, Don’t Shoot Fairies and Sunshine On Me won seven races between them and retired sound.

Don’t Shoot Fairies then had a heart attack and the other fell and broke her back. Both accidents happened in quiet fields.

Remember that thoroughbreds are pretty highly tuned animals and despite the fact that many live to their mid-twenties and beyond, some suffer serious problems much earlier in their lives.

But that doesn’t mean that we should reduce the risk. As many have said this week, fields were perhaps too big, horses weren’t good enough and the going wasn’t the best.

As to the going, just look at the state of the pitch at Ipswich. I’ve never seen it that bad. Racecourses are also suffering.

As an aside, Vague Shot is still going at 23, so you win some and lose some.