Envoi Allen tragically collapsed and died while walking back from the Cheltenham Gold Cup. ITV announced that the three-time Festival winner passed away shortly after Gaelic Warrior won the Gold Cup. Envoi Allen fell to the floor on the horsewalk after completing the race and green screens were put up to give the 12-year-old some privacy.

The Gold Cup, his eighth Cheltenham appearance, was scheduled to be Envoi Allen’s final race before retiring. Despite being attended to by vets at the racecourse, he passed away. Envoi Allen was a 10-time grade one winner and trainer Henry de Bromhead said: “He was so well at home that they had to let him run this afternoon”.

He was jockeyed by Darragh O’Keeffe and enjoyed an incredible career, previously winning the Champion Bumper, Turners Novices’ Chase and Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

But as he walked back to the stables, Envoi Allen collapsed, and ITV announced his death just a few minutes later.

James Given, the BHA’s Director of Equine Regulation, Safety & Welfare, told Racing TV: “He ran his race and then pulled up at the top where there is a vet reinspection where all horses are looked at, they trot down the walkway. Just as he got to the bottom there was an acute cardiovascular collapse, we’re almost certain.

“It happened very quickly, the vets were immediately with him, but he was passing very quickly.”

O’Keeffe said: “Everything was grand and I was happy out there. He pulled up A1 and everything like that, but when we were trotting back [after the race] he collapsed. He was unbelievable and a special horse. He won numerous races and it just happened so fast.”

Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson, as someone very close to Envoi Allen, added: “We didn’t see it but the vets okayed them all after the race and Darragh said he was pricking his ears after the race. He then went over as he was coming back onto the chute. He’d just retired but then in a minute or two he was gone.

“He was such a lovely little horse and it wasn’t the ending we wanted. He’s been an incredible servant and just wonderful over the years. It’s such a sad way to go.”

Envoi Allen tragically became the third horse to die this week at the Festival, after Hansgard on the opening day and HMS Seahorse on day two.

Gold Cup-winning jockey Andrew Thornton reacted on BBC Radio 5 Live at Cheltenham. Thornton said: “That is a real dampener, he was a magnificent horse, and it was his eighth time at the Festival, it is difficult to take in a race like that.”

Beeb commentator John Hunt also paid tribute, saying: “Desperately sad news on what was Envoi Allen’s last run at Cheltenham, he was a 12-year-old.

“He had such a legion of supporters throughout his amazing career; he won three times at the Cheltenham Festival and was a 10-time grade one winner.”

The Jockey Club – organisers of the Cheltenham Festival – says it works continuously to minimise the risks at its events and says the industry has spent £63m on equine welfare since 2000.

The Jockey Club says data shows the rate of fallers in horse races has declined in all of the last 21 years and is now just 1.98% of runners. The fatal injury rate in 2025 was just 0.22% of 86,300 runners, according to its figures.

It stated that recent improvements include changing of markers on jumps on all racecourses from orange to white, following research into equine vision; a change to padded hurdles to reduce fallers; and the introduction of a detailed review process within 48 hours of every fatality on a racecourse.

The Jockey Club said that the racing industry regularly consults with established welfare organisations such as World Horse Welfare, RSPCA and Blue Cross to ensure it continually meets the highest standards