Horse dies as Grand National winner Rachael Blackmore suffers nasty fall at Aintree

Willy De Houelle was just four years old as a horrific fall left the horse with fatal injuries

Rachael Blackmore suffered a nasty fall at Aintree (David Davies/PA Wire)

Grand National winner Rachael Blackmore was involved in a nasty fall on the Grand National opening day, with her horse sustaining injuries that proved fatal at Aintree.

Blackmore was riding Willy De Houelle for Willie Mullins in the Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle, the second race of Thursday afternoon.

The four-year-old horse tumbled early on and dismounted the 35-year-old jockey, with Racing TV reporting that she was attended to on the track. Tragically, Willy De Houelle suffered fatal injuries.

ITV later provided an update on Blackmore, confirming that she had managed to walk herself into an ambulance.

“Rachael Blackmore walked into the ambulance, looked pretty sore doing so,” presenter Ed Chamberlin said: “Hopefully she will be okay. News on her horse as soon as we get it.”

In light of the latest horse death to occur at the Grand National, animal rights charity Animal Aid has called for a ban on jump racing.

“Willy De Houelle, just four years old, was killed in the second race today after suffering a horrific fall,” the statement read. “The death toll of this event is now 66 horses killed since 2000.

“The Grand National three-day meeting is lethal for horses – who have no choice but to run for their lives on a racecourse designed to push them to their limits.

“Furthermore, National Hunt or ‘jump’ racing has killed more than 3,000 horses since 2001. This is why we are calling for a ban on jump racing, with the cruel Cheltenham and Aintree festivals being the first to go.”

Blackmore came into Aintree off the back of a superb Cheltenham Festival, where she claimed two wins on Bob Olinger and Air Of Entitlement.

The 2021 Grand National champion is due to ride Minella Indo on Saturday as she looks to emulate her success on Merseyside from four years prior.