{"id":3044,"date":"2026-03-10T14:50:51","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T14:50:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=3044"},"modified":"2026-03-10T14:50:51","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T14:50:51","slug":"horse-dies-in-the-second-race-of-the-cheltenham-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=3044","title":{"rendered":"Horse dies in the second race of the Cheltenham Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t<\/div>Hansard sustained a fatal injury during the second race of the Cheltenham Festvial (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Tragedy struck during the just second race of the Cheltenham Festival after the death of Hansard was confirmed by the Jockey Club.<\/p>\n
A statement read: \u2018While running on the flat Hansard sustained a fatal injury, he was dismounted and attended by a team of professionals.\u2019<\/p>\n
ITV presenter Ed Chamberlain added: \u2018There has been a sad postscript in the Arkle, while running on the flat, Hansard suffered a fatal injury. <\/p>\n
\u2018He was immediately dismounted, and it was decided that the best course of action was for him to be put down.\u2019<\/p>\n
The Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices\u2019 Chase saw a surprise winner in the shape of Kargese.<\/p>\n
Sent off a 7-1 shot with all eyes on her Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Kopek Des Bordes and Nicky Henderson\u2019s Lulamba, Kargese was given a perfect front-running ride from Danny Mullins.<\/p>\n
The mare was clearly still travelling well turning for home and while both the market leaders tried to challenge, in particular Kopek Des Bordes, she held firm up the hill and kept finding to win by two and a quarter lengths from her fellow Mullins runner, with the jumping of the runner-up and third horse Lulamba leaving a bit to be desired at the business end.<\/p>\n
Mullins said: \u2018Kargese jumped superbly and had far more experience than Kopek which has stood to her at the finish.<\/p>\n
\u2018It\u2019s a nice feeling watching two of your own fight out the finish and you think of Annie Power but surely two of them wouldn\u2019t fall at the last, at least one of them would get over you hope.<\/p>\n
\u2018We all need Cheltenham winners and it\u2019s great for Danny and it\u2019s fabulous to get off the mark for the week. I thought Danny gave her a tremendous ride and he used all the attributes that she has \u2013 when he wanted a jump at the last, he got it.<\/p>\n
\u2018We were happy Lulamba was up with Kargese and my worry was that Kopek might get in front with Kargese and the two of them might run the powder out of each other.<\/p>\n
\u2018She\u2019s tough and she gives herself a hard race, even over hurdles as a juvenile and everything since. We couldn\u2019t believe how well she finished off her season as a juvenile. She\u2019s a really tough nut.<\/p>\n
\u2018She looks like a Champion Chase horse, but we\u2019ll have to decide.\u2019<\/p>\n
The master of Closutton was delighted with the runner-up, feeling there could have been a different outcome but for a mistake at the final fence.<\/p>\n
Mullins added: \u2018I thought Kopek ran brilliant and I thought Paul (Townend) gave him a fantastic ride in the circumstances. If it wasn\u2019t for the mistake at the last I think he would have won without coming off the bridle.<\/p>\n
\u2018For a horse having only a second run over fences in a race like the Arkle and just for that mistake at the last it could have gone his way. To do what he did there today was tremendous, I haven\u2019t lost any faith in him at all.<\/p>\n
\u2018We\u2019ll be looking at Aintree. We\u2019ll be looking at Punchestown, there\u2019s plenty of options for him.\u2019<\/p>\n
Kopek Des Bordes\u2019 enthusiastic owner Charles McCarthy had similar feelings to his trainer and was gracious in defeat, having 12 months earlier been celebrating Supreme Novices\u2019 Hurdle glory.<\/p>\n
He said: \u2018As far as I\u2019m concerned you must be gracious in defeat and victory.<\/p>\n
\u2018He\u2019s a wonderful horse, he\u2019s still in one piece and you\u2019re going to see an awful lot more of him, I promise you that.<\/p>\n
\u2018What can you say and what can you do? It wasn\u2019t our day, but we had our day here last year.<\/p>\n
\u2018He\u2019s only a six-year-old, we expect a lot from him, but that run will bring him on I\u2019m sure and we can look at Aintree and Punchestown.\u2019<\/p>\n
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