Grand National runner Celebre d’Allen has died after collapsing during the latter stages of the showpiece race at Aintree.
His rider on Saturday, Micheal Nolan, was handed a 10-day suspension by raceday stewards after inquiring into his decision to continue to ride Celebre d’Allen after jumping the penultimate fence.
The 13-year-old horse, trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, remained at Aintree overnight on Saturday before heading back to Hobbs and White’s stables for further treatment.
In a statement on Tuesday, Hobbs and White said: “We’re heartbroken to share that Celebre d’Allen has passed away.
“He received the very best treatment by the veterinary teams and was improving. However, he deteriorated significantly last night and could not be saved. He was a wonderful horse and we will all miss him greatly.”
The BHA stewards’ report into Nolan’s ride aboard Celebre d’Allen read: “An enquiry was held to consider whether Micheal Nolan, the rider of Celebre d’Allen, had continued in the race when the horse appeared to have no more to give and was clearly losing ground after the second-last fence.
Micheal Nolan was given a 10-day for his ride on Celebre d’Allen
“The rider and the veterinary officer were interviewed, and recordings of the interview were viewed. The rider was suspended for 10 days.”
Following the news of Celebre d’Allen’s passing, BHA acting chief executive Brant Dunshea said: “All of us at the BHA are saddened to learn of the death of Celebre D’Allen following Saturday’s Randox Grand National. It has been clear to see since Saturday afternoon just how much the horse meant to his connections and we send our condolences to them today.
“As with all runners in the Grand National, Celebre D’Allen was provided with a thorough check by vets at the racecourse. This health check includes a trot up, physical examination of limbs to check for any heat, pain or swelling, and listening to the heart to check for any murmur or rhythm disturbance.
“This marks the final step in an extensive process of checks to ensure a horses’ suitability to race in the National, which also includes a review of veterinary records and assessment by a Panel of experts to consider a horse’s race record and suitability to race. As part of this process the horse would also have been examined by the trainer’s own vet on the two occasions, a month apart.
Runners and riders in the 2025 Grand National
“Celebre D’Allen received treatment from the team of expert vets after pulling up and then collapsing towards the end of the race. Having been immediately attended to by the teams on site, he was given all the time he needed to respond to treatment on course before being transported back to the first-class veterinary facilities at the racecourse stables, where he remained overnight, continuing to receive care and attention. He subsequently travelled to a nearby stud which was connected to the horse’s owners on Sunday, having shown improvement overnight.
“The BHA and Aintree racecourse will analyse the race and this incident in detail, as is the case every year and with every fatal injury in any race. This will include the horse being sent for post-mortem.
“The process of reviewing every fatality allows us to build on our existing data and help us understand how all reasonable avoidable risk can be reduced in order to keep our horses and riders as safe as possible. This process previously led to the changes that were made to the Grand National in 2024, including the reduction in the number of runners. Prior to Saturday’s race there had been no fatal injuries in the previous nine races run over the Grand National course since the 2023 National.
“The steps we have taken to improve safety over the years reflects the great respect we have for our horses, and our commitment to their safety.”
