Grand National Festival horse Get On George has tragically been put down after pulling up during the 1.20pm William Hill Handicap Hurdle today. The six-year-old gelding, trained by Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith, was pulled up by jockey Jack Tudor after losing his action around the bend and it has been confirmed he sadly sustained a fatal injury following an assessment by veterinary staff.
ITV host Ed Chamberlin paused his broadcast to say: « Sorry for looking at my phone while you guys were talking there but it is the news about Get On George. He was pulled up and quickly dismounted. Aintree say he was assessed on course by their expert veterinary team and it was decided the best course of action for the horse’s welfare was for him to be put down. It’s described as humanly euthanised.
« They say their heartfelt condolences are with connections. We echo that, to the Parkinsons, the Smiths – Sue Smith actually owns the horse as well. I always try and get the groom’s name as you know and it’s Riley, Paul Riley, who know has to deal with that. Our deepest sympathies to you all. »
The statement from Aintree Racecourse read: « Get on George was assessed on course by our expert veterinary team and it was decided the best course of action for the horse’s welfare was for him to be humanely euthanised. Our heartfelt condolences are with connections. »
The horse is the second fatality of the week after Gold Dancer was euthanised yesterday. The nine-year-old suffered a broken back when winning the Mildmay Novices’ Chase and was put down after collapsing post-race.
The British Horseracing Authority said in a statement last night: « We are all saddened by the fatal injury of Gold Dancer following today’s William Hill Mildmay Novices’ Chase and our thoughts are with everybody connected to the horse.
« After the race, the stewards held an enquiry to consider the circumstances of this incident and took evidence from vets and the horse’s jockey, Paul Townend. Paul Townend told the stewards that, following a bad mistake at the final fence, Gold Dancer took a stride or two to gather himself but felt sound and continued running in a straight line to the finish.
« He then reported that Gold Dancer’s action changed after the line, as he rounded the bend and changed from a canter to a trot, at which point he immediately dismounted to allow veterinary surgeons to quickly attend to the horse. The veterinary assessment was that the appropriate course of action was to humanely euthanise the horse.
« Having reviewed the footage of the incident, James Given, the BHA’s Director of Equine Regulation, Safety and Welfare, agreed that Gold Dancer’s action was typical of a horse in the closing stages of such a race, that he appeared sound until rounding the bend, at which point he was immediately dismounted.
« As is the case with any fatal injury, the incident will now be looked at in detail through our fatality review process, which is part of the sport’s commitment to ongoing improvements in racehorse safety. »
Two horses, Willy De Houelle and Celebre D’Allen, died at last year’s Aintree Festival.
The Jockey Club, which organises the Aintree Festival, says it is continually working to minimise the risk of falls and deaths. Several changes have been made at Aintree including stricter qualification critera and sterner veterinary checks while the field size for the 4pm Grand National has been reduced from 40 horses to 34.
But Animal Aid wrote on X: « Rest in peace Get on George. Another life lost at Aintree. Today they became another casualty of a sport that continues to prioritise entertainment and profit over animal rights. How many more lives have to be lost before this ends? »
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