HMS Seahorse, an eight-year-old gelding under the care of trainer Paul Nolan, suffered a fatal injury this afternoon at Cheltenham Festival after coming down at the final obstacle during the BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle.
Veterinary professionals attended to the stricken animal immediately but were unable to save him.
Cheltenham Racecourse released a statement confirming the tragic outcome: “HMS Seahorse was immediately attended to by a team of expert vets during our third race of the day, but sadly sustained an injury when falling at the final hurdle and could not be saved.
“Our heartfelt condolences are with connections.”
HMS Seahorse (third from the right) tragically died after falling
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GETTY
ITV presenter Ed Chamberlain delivered the sombre news to viewers following the race.
The loss of HMS Seahorse represents the second equine fatality at this year’s Festival in consecutive days.
On Tuesday’s opening day, Hansard met a similar fate during the Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase.
The Gary and Josh Moore-trained horse sustained his injury whilst galloping on the flat approaching the home stretch, rather than at a jump.
On-course veterinary staff swiftly attended to the 100-1 outsider after jockey dismounted, ultimately determining that putting the animal down was the most humane course of action.
Cheltenham horse Hansard sustained a fatal injury during the Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase on day one
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GETTYCheltenham Racecourse expressed its sympathies to those connected with both horses following the back-to-back tragedies.
Animal rights organisation PETA responded forcefully to the deaths, with Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen issuing a stark condemnation.
“Cheltenham and horse racing have claimed yet another victim with the death of Hansard today,” she stated. “Some 3000 horses have died in UK horse racing events in the past decade, and 79 horse deaths at Cheltenham in the past 25 years alone.”
Allen argued that compelling horses to race at high speeds over obstacles inevitably results in devastating falls and fatal injuries.
She called for the complete cancellation of the Cheltenham Festival and all similar racing events, asserting this was the sole means of safeguarding equine welfare.
The Jockey Club, which operates fifteen racecourses across Britain including Cheltenham, maintains that extensive efforts are made to minimise risks inherent in the sport.
A statement from Cheltenham racecourse regarding HMS Seahorse:
“HMS Seahorse was immediately attended to by a team of expert vets during our third race of the day, but sadly sustained an injury when falling at the final hurdle and could not be saved. Our heartfelt condolences…
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 11, 2026
Since the turn of the millennium, the racing industry has channelled more than £63 million into equine welfare initiatives encompassing veterinary science, educational programmes and research.
British racing’s independently-chaired Horse Welfare Board oversees a strategic plan entitled ‘A Life Well Lived’, which organisers say is producing tangible results.
The proportion of horses falling during races has decreased over each of the past 21 years, now standing at just 1.98 per cent of runners.
Fatal injuries occurred in 0.22 per cent of the 86,300 runners during 2025.
