Grand National horse Celebre d'Allen died after developing respiratory infection
LONDON (AP) — A severe respiratory infection is likely to have contributed to the death of Grand National runner Celebre d'Allen, according to the findings of the post-mortem released Thursday.
The post-mortem also acknowledged that the 13-year-old horse's immune system was 'severely compromised' after running the gruelling jumps race on Saturday.
Celebre d'Allen, a 125-1 shot for the National, was pulled up by jockey Micheal Nolan after the last of the 30 fences. The horse then collapsed on the racecourse.
After receiving treatment on the course, he walked into the horse ambulance and was taken to the racecourse stables for further assessment. Although his owners were positive regarding his recovery on Sunday, his condition deteriorated and he died on Monday.
Celebre d'Allen was sent for a post-mortem, which found that the bacterial infection — pleuropneumonia — developed after the race and led to the horse's deterioration. The subsequent onset of sepsis or endotoxaemia — described as the release of harmful substances into the bloodstream from bacteria — is 'likely to have been a key factor in the cause of death,' said the British Horseracing Authority, which said it was granted permission by Celebre d'Allen's trainer and owner to publish the key findings.
The 'exercise-associated episode' experienced by the horse after the race had concluded by the time of his death, according to the post-mortem, the BHA said.
'Further bloods taken on the Monday indicated a severely compromised immune system,' the BHA added. '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.'
Raceday stewards suspended Nolan for 10 days after concluding he 'had continued in the race when the horse appeared to have no more to give and was clearly losing ground after the second-last fence.'
Iain Green, director of animal-welfare activist Animal Aid, described the length of the suspension as 'pitiful.'
The Grand National has long been regarded as one of the most dangerous horse races in the world because of the size of the fences. A number of new measures — including reducing the field from 40 to 34 runners and bringing forward the race's start time — were introduced last year in an attempt to make it safer.
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