Two horses were fatally injured on the final day of the Festival, taking the total over the course of the meeting to three following the death of Ballyward in Tuesday’s National Hunt Chase.
Sir Erec, the favourite for the Triumph Hurdle, was put down after breaking a leg at the fourth flight, while Invitation Only – trained by Willie Mullins – was killed instantly in a fall at the 10th in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Sir Erec had been reshod in the minutes leading up to the Triumph Hurdle after losing a shoe on his off-fore foot, which had been the subject of an injury scare in the run-up to Friday’s race.
Sir Erec passed a prerace veterinary examination – as has been the case with all runners at this year’s Festival – and the stewards reported this had no impact on the injury that Joseph O’Brien’s colt sustained in the race. “The BHA head of equine health and welfare [David Sykes] reported Sir Erec had passed a veterinary inspection earlier in the day,” the stewards said in a report following their inquiry.
“On arrival at the start, the colt had spread its right fore plate and was reshod, after which the BHA veterinary officer was satisfied with Sir Erec’s suitability to race.
“The trainer reported that full radiograph images were taken of the colt in the days leading up to the race, which is the usual precautionary custom of the yard with respect to all runners.
“Mr O’Brien’s veterinary surgeon [John Halley] further reported there had been no radiographic evidence that would indicate anything that may lead to Sir Erec sustaining an injury.”
The Grand Annual Chase, in which three horses were killed in 2018, passed without incident. No horse fell, while four of the 19 starters were pulled up.