A jockey has avoided sanction during the Grand National Festival at Aintree, despite his winning mount breaking its back after stumbling at the final fence of the Mildmay Novices’ Chase.
Gold Dancer had opened up a lead of more than 10 lengths before dragging his back legs through the final fence on Friday, with jockey Paul Townend riding him out to victory.
However, as Gold Dancer turned to return after pulling up, it became clear he was severely injured and could not be saved.
The stewards noted Townend’s explanation after an inquiry, which established the seven-year-old had gone straight to the line and shown no signs of a fatal injury.
“An inquiry was held into the riding of the winner, Gold Dancer, ridden by Paul Townend, from jumping the final fence up until rounding the bend towards the pull-up area, after which the gelding was immediately assessed by veterinary surgeons and subsequently euthanised on welfare grounds,” the stewards report reads.
“Townend and the director of equine regulation, safety, and welfare [James Given] were both interviewed and shown recordings of the incident. Townend explained that Gold Dancer had made a bad mistake at the last fence, after which it took a stride or two for the gelding to gather himself before, in his opinion, running on in a straight line to the winning line where Gold Dancer felt sound.”
“Townend added that it was only rounding the bend towards the pull-up area that the gelding’s action changed, when Gold Dancer went from a canter to a trot, after which he immediately dismounted.”
“After reviewing the footage, the director of equine safety and welfare explained that Gold Dancer’s action was typical of a three-mile chaser in the final stages of a race and supported Townend’s evidence. After hearing all of their evidence, the stewards noted Townend’s explanation.”
The incident has once again brought National Hunt racing into sharp focus ahead of its biggest event of the year, the Grand National, to be contested on Saturday.
Champion trainer Willie Mullins was devastated by the loss of Gold Dancer and told media that nothing appeared wrong until the horse turned to return, defending Townend.
“I would say he didn’t feel the horse had any damage and he galloped the whole way to the line,” Mullins said.
“That is what you do when you’re a rider. It’s like a forward going for goal – if something happens, he’s going to keep going and kick the ball into the net if he can.”
“It’s the same with a jockey – unless they feel the horse’s action is really wrong, he’s not going to stop, because if he stops he’ll lose his licence and the other punters will drag him off the horse and say ‘what did you pull him up for?’.”
“He didn’t feel anything was wrong until after the line and horses make mistakes. People out running trip and get up and go on and run another 10 miles and they only find out later that night they’ve actually pulled a muscle in their back or somewhere else – it’s just life.”
“We can’t legislate for everything. People go on with their daily lives and their daily sports and you do what you have to do, that’s the way I look at it anyhow.”
“If Paul thought there was something wrong he’d be the first man to pull him up.”
