Updated 16.45
FESTIVAL TRIALS DAY at Cheltenham was overshadowed by the tragic death of Many Clouds, who collapsed and died moments after a stunning win in the Cotswolds Chase.
The 2015 Grand National winner, trained by Oliver Sherwood, finished strongly to shock Gold Cup favourite Thistlecrack and win by a head on the line.
But the 10-year-old collapsed after passing the winning post and despite immediate treatment by the course veterinary staff, died suddenly.
What a battle up the hill at #Cheltenham. Many Clouds gets the better of Thistlecrack in the Betbright Trial Cotswold Chase pic.twitter.com/RVJpv8CjFl
— TV3 Sport (@TV3SportIreland) January 28, 2017
“I always said he’d die for you and he did winning that race,” a distraught Sherwood told Racing UK.
“He is a horse of a lifetime.”
Colin Tizzard, Thistlecrack’s trainer, said: “We were beaten by a better horse on the day, two fantastic horses ran right to the line.”
“They had a battle and it’s just a tragic end to the race.
“This is what happens in our sport occasionally and you’ve got to face up to it.”
Earlier at Cheltenham, Willie Mullins’ Un De Sceaux (1/2 fav) was a five-length winner of the Clarence House Chase in the hands of Ruby Walsh.
On a day for the favourites, the JP McManus-owned Defi Du Seuil (1/5 fav) won the Triumph Hurdle trial, Wholestone (11/4 fav) won the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle trial while Unowhatimeanharry (10/11 fav) stayed on to beat Cole Harden by a length-and-three-quarters in the Cleeve Hurdle.
And in Doncaster, Vroum Vroum Mag (1/5 fav) was pushed all the way to the line with just a head to spare as she beat Midnight Jazz in the Mares’ Hurdle.
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