Fourth Horse Killed at Cheltenham Festival 2026
Two horses have died at Cheltenham Festival 2026 on the final day of the event. A 12-year-old horse, named Envoi Allen, collapsed after finishing a race on Friday, 13th March. A second horse, Saint Le Fort, died soon after following a fall.
Two other horses have died at this year’s event. On Wednesday, eight-year-old HMS Seahorse died after suffering an injury.
Eight-year-old Hansard became the first horse to die after a horrific fall on Tuesday. Hansard suffered a fatal leg injury, and his death was confirmed after the second race.
How many more animals will become victims of this disgraceful festival before we stop racing horses to their deaths?
A Deadly Festival
According to Animal Aid’s Horse Death Watch, 79 horses have been killed at Cheltenham Festival since 2000. On average, that’s more than three living, thinking beings per year.
The Cruelty of Cheltenham
Cheltenham Festival, established in 1860, sees gentle horses forced to race each other for up to three miles, all while rowdy and drunk spectators scream and jeer at them. Horses are prey animals, meaning they are naturally skittish. Such loud environments are terrifying for them. They are whipped into submission, forced to run at speeds of more than 30 miles per hour and jump over fences, all while carrying people on their backs. They end the race sweating and exhausted, often with debilitating injuries – if they survive at all.
Injuries and Death
It’s common for horses to suffer agonising injuries – such as wounds and broken bones – at races, often from falls or trips at fences. If they don’t die straight away, they are often euthanised. Last year, two horses named Springwell Bay and Corbetts Cross, who were just eight years old, died from heavy falls during the Cheltenham Festival. Horses may also suffer from heart attacks or bleeding from their lungs.
Horses Should Never Be Forced to Race
It’s not just Cheltenham Festival that’s the problem – around 250 horses die at races each year in the UK and Ireland, according to Animal Aid, and many end up being shot or sold for slaughter. Animal Aid reported that over 800 horses used for racing were sent for slaughter in England in 2025, and that’s just those with a Weathersby passport.
RTÉ’s documentary Horses: making a killing revealed that sensitive horses were hit with pipes until they collapsed at Ireland’s major horse slaughterhouse. 71% of those killed were thoroughbreds from the racing industry, many of whom had been raced in the UK. Some were killed just days after their last race, then their body parts were sold to the meat trade in Europe. PETA ha documented how some horses endure a terrifying journey to South Korea to be killed and sold for meat.
Take Action for Horses
Cheltenham Festival relies heavily on sponsors to keep going – so we are urging brands including Air Charter Service, Brown Advisory, and JCB to cut ties with this cruelty. Send them a message today:
Send a Message
The Grand National, which takes place this April, is another deadly event for horses. Please urge ITV to cut ties with this cruel race.
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