Sombre scenes at Cheltenham, with victorious Abuffalosoldier among three fatalities

There was a tragic postscript to the Holland Cooper Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Sunday when Abuffalosoldier collapsed and died after bravely making every post a winning one.

Sean Bowen steered Warren Greatrex’s seven-year-old to a commanding victory, with a superb round of jumping helping them to come home two and three-quarter lengths ahead of the staying-on Surrey Quest.

Immediately after the race and while still on board, Bowen hailed the horse as a potential future Grand National prospect, but as that interview ended, Abuffalosoldier fell to the ground, with the ITV Racing cameras capturing the incident.

It was later confirmed he had sadly died – and that Bangers And Cash had also died during the same race, having collapsed after being pulled up following the 14th fence.

On a bleak afternoon at Prestbury Park, another horse, Napper Tandy, was fatally injured when falling two out in the following race, the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle.

A British Horseracing Authority spokesperson said: “The losses of Abuffalosoldier, Bangers And Cash and Napper Tandy at Cheltenham today are a tragedy for all connections and the thoughts of all of us at the BHA are with them.

“All three were provided with outstanding care and attention throughout their lives by those who cared for them and nobody will be more heartbroken tonight than those individuals.

“As with all fatalities, we will seek to understand the circumstances behind each incident as we strive to continue to reduce avoidable risk in our sport.”

Reflecting on the two deaths in the Holland Cooper Handicap Chase, Liam Kearns, lead veterinary surgeon for Jockey Club Racecourses, told Racing TV: “Both cases we call them cardio-vascular collapse, as you can’t say at this stage whether it is a true heart attack or whether it is a major blood vessel that has ruptured. But it is of that nature and therefore it is a sudden death situation.

“The vets are deployed all around the racecourse, so both horses were attended within seconds and in those situations of acute collapse there are some drugs we can administer, but if it is a true cardio-vascular collapse, not a lot can be done.

“It’s a high-intensity racing situation, we have similar when marathon runners run or long-distance races are run, there is always a concern that athletes at a high level of exertion can without any previous symptoms present this situation. It’s a huge coincidence that it happened twice in the same race.

“All horses are thoroughly checked at home before they leave to go to the races, they are monitored carefully when they arrive at the races and trainers and connections love them to bits – no horse would go to the races with any prior knowledge of a situation like this.

“It is one of those sudden things that can strike.”