Grand National chaos kills more horses

Hill Sixteen suffered a broken neck at the first fence in the Grand National race and two horses were taken away in horse ambulances with life threatening injuries. Dark Raven was killed earlier in the afternoon and the fate of another faller, Castle Robin, also earlier in the afternoon, remains unknown. The death of Envoye Special on the first day of the meeting adds to the horrific animal abuse that takes place each year at this appalling event.

Despite the rhetoric from the racing industry and its supporters, that horse welfare is their number one priority, Aintree Racecourse and British racing as a whole, are failing horses. The reality is that 200 horses perish each year on racecourses, the Grand National being the worst of all in taking their lives.

• Animal Aid is calling on jump racing to be banned with 1 in 58 horses who start each season, reported dead by the end of it. This shocking statistic carries with it individual stories of how each horse lost their lives.