Pressure mounts for a boycott and government action on Cheltenham Festival as fourth horse dies

A fourth horse, Saint Le Fort, has died at this year’s Cheltenham Festival after sustaining a fatal injury in the last race, reinforcing calls by national animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports for a public boycott and government intervention.

It is the fourth death of a horse at the festival in just four days.

It brings the death toll at the Cheltenham Festival to 82 horses since the turn of the century with Animal Aid figures showing a horse dying at every single festival since the year 2000.

The death of Saint Le Fort follows the death of Hansard, HMS Seahorse and Envoi Allen earlier in this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

Emma Slawinski, chief executive at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “The death of a fourth horse in just four days is heartbreaking news but not a surprise – every year horses are raced to their deaths at the Cheltenham Festival.

“Since the turn of the century, the shocking death toll of horses that have died at the festival has reached 82.

“There would be a huge outcry if this death toll happened in any other sport so we need to start prioritising horse welfare.”

At last year’s festival there were two deaths, Springwell Bay being the first casualty before Corbetts Cross died in the festival’s flagship Gold Cup event.

Emma added: “We are calling on the public and businesses to boycott next year’s Cheltenham Festival, to stop attending, to not bet on the races and to switch over from the ITV coverage and accompanying advertising.

“The government needs to act too. They promised the biggest boost for animal welfare in a generation and now they need to deliver – end the terrible death toll at the Cheltenham Festival by introducing tighter safety measures in horse racing and ban the use of the whip.”

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Notes to editors

For information or interview requests, please contact the League Against Cruel Sports Press Office on 01483 524250 or email pressoffice@league.org.uk

Animal Aid has published a new report called ‘Victims of British and Irish horse racing’.

The League Against Cruel Sports is Britain's leading charity that works to stop animals being persecuted, abused and killed for sport. The League was instrumental in helping bring about the landmark Hunting Act 2004, the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021, the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 and bans on the use of snares brought about by the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023, and Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024.

We carry out investigations to expose law-breaking and cruelty to animals and campaign for stronger animal protection laws and penalties. We work to change attitudes and behaviour through education and manage wildlife reserves. Find out more about our work at www.league.org.uk. Registered charity in England and Wales (no.1095234) and Scotland (no.SC045533).