Grand National runner Celebre d'Allen died with severe respiratory infection

The Guardian

10-04-2025

A post-mortem examination of Celebre d'Allen, who died on Monday evening having collapsed on the run-in during the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday, found that while his 'exercise-associated episode' did not lead directly to the 13-year-old's death, the gelding's immune system had been severely compromised, probably by over-exertion in the race, and he died as the result of a severe bacterial respiratory infection which had not been present in blood tests taken on Saturday morning.
The post-mortem, which was carried out at Rossdales, the leading veterinary practice in Newmarket, concludes that Celebre d'Allen contracted pleuropneumonia after Saturday's race, while 'the subsequent onset of sepsis or endotoxaemia [the release of harmful substances into the bloodstream from bacteria was] likely to have been a key factor in the cause of death'.
The report also found that 'bloods taken on Monday indicated a severely compromised immune system. These indications had not been present in the bloods taken on the day of the race. This indicates that this issue emerged subsequent to the race and the exercise-associated episode.
'The heart pathology found no issues which are likely to be significant in the death of the horse.'
The conclusion appears to explain why Celebre d'Allen had appeared to be recovering from his collapse on Sunday, before his condition suddenly deteriorated on Monday evening.
Celebre D'Allen was the oldest runner in Saturday's race but held a narrow lead over the third-last before fading quickly after the second-last. He collapsed shortly after jumping the final fence.
Ayr 1.30 Lario 2.05 Irish Chorus 2.40 Histrionic 3.15 Riskintheground (nb) 3.50 Dance Thief 4.25 The Four Sixes 4.58 Out Out
Fontwell 1.40 Twist Of Fatecatch 2.15 All Authorized 2.50 Staff Sergeant Len 3.25 Kalif D'Airy 4.00 Extraordinary Man 4.30 Bluenose Belle
Newbury 1.52 Coyy 2.27 Mystic Maureen 3.03 Lady Ridgewood 3.37 Falconer 4.10 Charging Thunder 4.45 Huscal 5.20 Change Sings (nap)
Sedgefield 4.15 Willie Shake Hands 4.50 Mutual Respect 5.25 Pub Crawl 5.55 Redbridge Rambler 6.25 Feach Amach 6.55 Beny Nahar Road 7.25 Swingingonthesteel
Huntingdon 4.35 Bongo Man 5.05 Cuban Court 5.38 Jack The Savage 6.08 Hystery Bere 6.38 Sangiovese 7.08 Glance At Midnight
Michael Nolan, the gelding's jockey, was subsequently suspended for 10 days by the Aintree stewards for 'continuing in the race when the horse appeared to have no more to give and was clearly losing ground after the second-last fence.'
The circumstances surrounding all race-related fatalities are reviewed in detail by the British Horseracing Authority, while the Grand National, the most famous and popular race of the year, is also the subject of a separate annual review by the regulator.