Grand Nationl Winner Passes Away after winning tod

Many Clouds dies after Cotswold Chase success

BY JON LEES 2:30PM 28 JAN 2017

Report: Cheltenham, Saturday

BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase (Grade 2) 3m1f56y


MANY CLOUDS, the 2015 Grand National winner, collapsed and died on Saturday moments after inflicting a first defeat over fences on Gold Cup favourite Thistlecrack leaving Cheltenham in a state of shock.

Seconds earlier the star of the Oliver Sherwood stable had produced one of his greatest performances as he battled back from the last fence to catch the King George VI Chase winner Thistlecrack to win a head verdict in a photo-finish.

Many Clouds went down shortly afterwards and was quickly attended to as the screens went up around him but he could not be saved.

A very emotional Oliver Sherwood: "What can I say he gave his all and has left us doing what he loved doing. He jumped for fun and was so brave as he has just proved as he really fought like a lion but he has paid the penalty."

Michael Meagher, racing manager to Many Clouds's owner Trevor Hemmings, said "The horse has been such a superstar down the seasons for Trevor and Oliver. It's very sad the way this has happened after such a brave win but he has gone out in a blaze of glory doing what he loved doing.

"He was a very public horse and everyone is very emotional which is so understandable as it was not the way it should have happened obviously. He has give everybody involved with him some wonderful days with the Grand National topping the lot.

"He won so many big races other than that like the Hennessy Gold Cup in 2014 and there is not a lot else to say at present as it's a blow for us all and all the people who have just cheered him on to such a brave win."

Many Clouds, who was being prepared for another tilt at Aintree in April, raced prominently throughout as Smad Place set out to make all the running.

Thistlecrack's round of jumping was peppered with slight mistakes. He nodded at the ninth, got in close to the fourth last and scruffy at the next but he took the last with a slight advantage only for Many Clouds to rally and catch him on the line.

Speaking on ITV4, Thistlecrack's trainer Colin Tizzard said: "Many Clouds was a fantastic, lovely horse and it's a tragic end to the race - it's as sad as can be. There's no question they had a battle, but we were beaten by a better horse on the day. Sadly, it is what happens in our sport occasionally."

What a way to end your career

RIP big boy

Watched the race on Tellytrack's split screen.

He absolutely wanted to win that race, and gave his life for it. :ohmy:

Many clouds - dammit! Backed him at the grand national at 40's
carrying almost top weight.
yesterdays race he probably looked like a loser 3-4 times last 100m,
and still won, incredible.

As sad as this incident was there is something incredibly romantic and poetic about a great horse passing away after such a notable achievement.

For him there was no lonely death in a forgotten field. Or a slow death from neglect & abandonment. I thought his trainer summed it up very poignantly in the post race interview which is available on Youtube. He died doing what he was bred to do & what his genetic makeup motivated him to do.

Those who witnessed his Grand National victory a couple of years back might recall he came close to collapsing after that effort & portentiously had to be hosed down for some time before his victory parade.

Very few horses who win the National ever win another race so this victory against rising star Thistlecrack was doubly noteworthy.

Very sad but very true, great jumpers capture your heart in a special way that is hard to explain to non jump fans.

I see there was a grade 1 race recently where all runners were aged 9 +, thats an advocate for jump racing!

Pulmonary haemorrhage reason for Clouds death
BY DAVID BAXTER 4:41PM 30 JAN 2017
AN AUTOPSY carried out on Grand National winner Many Clouds has found the ten-year-old suffered a severe pulmonary haemorrhage which caused his death after his brave victory at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The 2015 Aintree hero defeated Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Thistlecrack in a thrilling finish to the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase, but died after crossing the line.

It had been suspected that Many Clouds suffered a heart attack, but the autopsy result showed he suffered a severe internal bleed.

The post-mortem concluded there was no underlying cause which could have triggered the haemorrhage, and officials added that such episodes are rare with the fatality rate within jump racing for horses suffering from similar episodes is just 0.048 per cent of runners.

Tony Welsh, acting chief veterinary officer for the BHA, said on Monday: "Episodes such as this are rare, and can occur in horses which have no underlying health issues, and amongst all disciplines of sport horses.

"In spite of the rarity of these incidents, as a sport we are determined to do more to understand what causes these symptoms, and whether more can be done to prevent it. Several studies have been commissioned, as part of the £32million-plus invested in veterinary science and research by the sport though the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) since the year 2000. The overall fatality rate in British racing has fallen by a third in this period.

No signs of post-race ataxia

Many Clouds had suffered from post-race ataxia in the past, a syndrome characterised by loss of balance in walking following exercise.

He had exhibited those symptoms at Aintree, when he was wobbly on his feet after winning the Grand National, but did not display any symptoms of post-race ataxia following his Cheltenham win and had never previously collapsed after a race.

Welsh added: "Post-race ataxia and similar symptoms are linked to an increase in body temperature after exercise and can be treated by providing the horse with water. It is not uncommon in racehorses or other sport horses.

"Despite some reports following the incident, there is no existing veterinary evidence which links these symptoms with racehorse fatalities, and the post-mortem results have categorically proved that the symptoms exhibited by Many Clouds in the past were in no way present or associated with his sad death at Cheltenham.

"Our thoughts remain with everyone connected to the horse. Any loss of life is regrettable, and we continue to use research, safety measures, regulation and education to reduce fatality rates to as close to zero as possible."

The post mortem had been carried out with the permission of Many Clouds' trainer Oliver Sherwood and owner Trevor Hemmings.