After suffering a severe injury on Grand National Day at Aintree, the Willie Mullins-trained Dark Raven has passed away. The winning novice hurdler was competing in the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, the third race on the card, when he fell at the seventh flight in the race won by Irish Point. Jockey Paul Townend was knocked to the ground.
The six-year-old horse was the second to pass away during the three-day event after chaser Envoye Special, who was killed on Thursday while competing in the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase on the Grand National course. The plagued Rachael Blackmore Another failure in the 2m4f obstacle was Cool Survivor.
Grand National Day 2023
Before his most recent run, for which he was given a 100-30 chance, Dark Raven, owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, had placed sixth in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and had won three of his five races according to the rules.
As Munir wrote on Twitter, “We are deeply sorry for the loss of our dear Dark Raven. Respectfully, RIP.”
- After a severe injury on Grand National Day at Aintree, Dark Raven has passed away.
- The six-year-old horse was the second to pass away during the three-day event.
- Envoye Special lost his riding companion at the ninth jump.
“Dark Raven was immediately attended to by our expert veterinary professionals during the third race of the day,” an Aintree Racecourse official said. Sadly, they concluded that euthanizing the horse was the best course of action for his welfare. Our deepest condolences go out to his connections.
Envoye Special lost his riding companion at the ninth jump, which is the one before Becher’s Brook, on the first day of the competition when he was competing over Grand National fences in a race only accessible to amateur riders.
The nine-year-old horse, trained by Kieran Burke, continued without a rider but fell at one of the ensuing fences. He was examined by Aintree’s on-site veterinary experts, but the track later acknowledged that he had tragically suffered a mortal injury.
A modest demonstration by animal rights activists is taking place in the background as The Grand National is being held. Outside the track, two people were detained on suspicion of planning an annoyance to the public.
On Saturday morning, a 33-year-old woman from the London region was also detained in Greater Manchester in connection with possible coordinated disruption efforts at Aintree Racecourse.
