Hansard has sadly suffered a fatal injury on the first day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. The tragic news was confirmed by ITV Racing after the second race of the day – the 2pm Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase. Hansard, trained by Gary and Josh Moore, was a big outsider as one of seven runners in the Arkle. He pulled up after appearing to injure his leg and the decision was made to put the eight-year-old down after the race.

ITV Racing presenter Ed Chamberlin broke the news, announcing: “There has been a sad postscript in the Arkle, while running on the flat, Hansard suffered a fatal injury, he was immediately dismounted, and it was decided that the best course of action was for him to be put down.” And a statement from The Jockey Club read: “While running on the flat in the second race of the day, Hansard sustained a fatal injury. He was quickly dismounted, immediately attended by a team of expert veterinary professionals, and their assessment concluded that the best course of action for the horse’s welfare was for him to be put down.”

Kargese won the second race of the festival, upsetting favourites Lulamba and Kopek Des Bordes. The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old was ridden by his nephew Danny, who said after: “I’ve always had a good relationship with her [Kargese]. Everyone was expecting us to burn off in front… I knew I hadn’t burned the petrol early and the final furlong is where she did her best work.

“Willie [Mullins] is just a master, it’s great to be part of that team … these [Cheltenham wins] are not a given, these are very special days. I hope for many more.”

Like all sports, horse racing involves risks, but The Jockey Club – the owners of 15 racecourses in the UK and the organisers of both the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals – work tirelessly to continuously minimise the risks at its events.

Since 2000, the racing industry has invested more than £63 million in equine welfare, including veterinary science, education and research. British racing has an independently-chaired Horse Welfare Board, whose long-term strategic plan ‘A Life Well Lived’ is already yielding results.

The rate of fallers in horse races has declined in all of the last 21 years and is now just 1.98 per cent of runners. The fatal injury rate in 2025 was just 0.22 per cent of 86,300 runners.

Some of the changes made include the changing of markers on jumps on all racecourses from orange to white, following research by Exeter University into equine vision, the change to padded hurdles after data found this would reduce fallers by 11 per cent and the introduction of a detailed review process within 48 hours of every fatality on a racecourse.

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.

Over 80 per cent of people say their perceptions of horse welfare change after visiting studs, training yards and aftercare centres. Sixty-five thousand free places for visits to centres become available during National Racehorse Week, which this year takes place from August 22nd to 31st.

With five million attendees in 2025, horse racing is the second-most attended sport in the UK behind football.