Grand National horse Celebre D'Allen has died after collapsing during Saturday's race at Aintree.
The 13-year-old was pulled up after the final fence of the historic steeplechase before collapsing on the track.
Initially, the horse received veterinary treatment at the racecourse and was kept overnight for observation.
Despite showing early signs of improvement, the veteran runner's condition deteriorated significantly overnight.
Celebre D'Allen has died days after collapsing at the Grand National
PA
Celebre D'Allen, who went off as a 125/1 outsider in the prestigious race, had been leading with just three fences to jump before struggling in the closing stages.
The horse was the oldest competitor in this year's Grand National field.
Trainers Philip Hobbs and Johnson White confirmed the sad news in a statement on Tuesday.
"We're heartbroken to share that Celebre D'Allen has passed away," they wrote.
"He received the very best treatment by the veterinary teams and was improving. However, he deteriorated significantly last night and could not be saved."
Johnson White added: "He had the best possible care, but he just took a downturn overnight and very sadly he's passed away."
After initially collapsing, the horse had been able to walk onto a horse ambulance following assessment by veterinarians.
On Sunday, connections had reported that Celebre D'Allen looked "much brighter" before his condition worsened.
Jockey Michael Nolan, who rode Celebre D'Allen in the race, has been handed a 10-day suspension by raceday stewards.
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) confirmed that Nolan had breached riding rules by continuing to race whilst the horse was visibly struggling.
Michael Nolan (not pictured) has been handed a 10-day suspension by raceday stewards
PA
A steward's inquiry found that the jockey had continued in the race when the horse appeared to be exhausted.
The decision to suspend Nolan came after a thorough review of the incident during the closing stages of Saturday's race.
The suspension reflects the sport's commitment to prioritising equine welfare during competitive events.
The BHA stated that Celebre D'Allen had undergone thorough veterinary checks before the race, as is standard for all Grand National runners.
Celebre D'Allen had undergone thorough veterinary checks before the race
PA
"As with all runners in the Grand National, Celebre D'Allen was provided with a thorough check by vets at the racecourse," the BHA said.
They added: "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."
Since the inaugural Grand National in 1839, 89 horses have died during the event.
Last year, new safety measures were introduced including a cap of 34 runners and a standing start replacing the traditional rolling one.
