First Horse Has Died At Cheltenham Festival After Falling At Final Hurdle

A horse has been put down after suffering a fatal injury at the final hurdle of a course at Cheltenham Festival.

The horse, named Shallwehaveonemore, reached the last hurdle in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, while taking part in the first race of the year.

Vets and medical staff quickly rushed to the scene, and green screens were placed around the horse, however it had to be put down as a result of its injuries.

The horse, who was owned by Steve Packham and trained by Gary Moore, had been racing for five years, The Independent reports.

Ed Chamberlin, a presenter for ITV, reported: "I’m afraid the news is what we feared about Shallwehaveonemore. I’m afraid had to be put down after a fall.

"You have to feel so sorry for owner Steven Packham who’s had no luck at the Cheltenham Festival over the last few years.

"Sad start to the Cheltenham Festival, that is."

ITV Racing later took to Twitter to express its condolences.

It wrote: "We're sad to report Shallwehaveonemore has unfortunately had to be put down following a fall in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

"Our deepest sympathies to all connections."

The festival has been long-awaited by horse racing fans due to delays caused by the pandemic.

However, Cheltenham Festival continues to face backlash from animal protection organisations such as non-profit organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) who call the sport 'racing to the grave' for horses.

On its website, it states: "Horses begin training or are already racing when their skeletal systems are still growing and are unprepared to handle the pressures of competition racing on a hard track at high speeds.

"One study on injuries at racetracks concluded that one horse in every 22 races suffered an injury that prevented him or her from finishing a race, while another estimated that 3 thoroughbreds die every day in North America because of catastrophic injuries during races."

PETA has since responded to the news of Shallwehaveonemore's passing, writing: "Shallwehaveonemore is the first horse to die at the #CheltenhamFestival2022 this year, following a fatal injury #youbettheydie."

Campaign group Animal Aid also noted: "We’re saddened and horrified to have seen a death in the first race of Cheltenham Festival. This is unacceptable. RIP Shallwehaveonemore."

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