The Grand National runner Celebre d’Allen, who collapsed during the race on Saturday and died on Monday, died as a result of a bacterial infection which developed after the festival, a post-mortem has concluded.
The post-mortem results, which were revealed by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on Thursday, indicated that the over-exertion which led to the horse collapsing after the final fence did not specifically contribute to his death.
But the BHA said that a “severe bacterial respiratory infection (pleuropneumonia)” developed after the race, leading to the horse’s detoriation on Monday and subsequent death, after appearing to recover over the weekend.
“The subsequent onset of sepsis or endotoxaemia (the release of harmful substances into the bloodstream from bacteria) [is] likely to have been a key factor in the cause of death,” it continued.
Blood tests taken from the 13-year-old, who was the oldest runner in the race, on the day did not show any sign of infection, meaning it developed after the race had concluded.
“Further bloods taken on the 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 BHA statement continued.
“The heart pathology found no issues which are likely to be significant in the death of the horse.”
Celebre d’Allen was a 125-1 shot in the showpiece event at Aintree. His jockey, Micheal Nolan, was given a ten-day suspension after Aintree officials determined 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.”
The BHA statement added, “the findings of the post-mortem state that the exercise-associated episode experienced by the horse after the race had concluded by the time of death,” a conclusion which could explain why the gelding appeared “much brighter” over the weekend, according to trainers Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, before then deteriorating.
The BHA said at the time of Celebre d’Allen’s death that the incident during the race would be investigated, which included sending his body for post-mortem, and that like all fatalities the circumstances around it would be reviewed. The post-mortem was carried out by Rossdales Veterinary Surgeons of Newmarket.
In total, 18 of the 34 horses riding the Grand National this year either pulled up, fell, or unseated their rider, with just 16 finishing.
Another horse, Broadway Boy, owned by Nigel Twiston-Davies, suffered a hard fall at the 25th fence after leading by a length. Like Celebre D’Allen he was assessed by vets on the course before returning to the stables for further assessment. Willy Twiston-Davies – an assistant trainer and son of Nigel – issued a positive update on Sunday, saying the horse was “coming home”.
