Tragic End for Horse Celebre d'Allen in Grand National

Celebre d'Allen, a 13-year-old horse, has died after collapsing during the Grand National race at Aintree, sparking an investigation by the British Horseracing Authority and criticism from animal rights groups. The horse, which was the oldest of the 34 runners, was pulled up after the final fence and died on Tuesday despite initial signs of recovery.

Jockey Micheal Nolan, who was riding the horse, was handed a 10-day suspension for continuing to ride the horse after it appeared to be losing ground. The British Horseracing Authority has stated that the suspension was in line with the sport's penalty framework and that it would not be revisited. The agency has announced that it will conduct an investigation into the incident and will send the horse for a post-mortem investigation.

The incident has sparked criticism from animal rights groups, with some blaming the sport of horse racing for the horse's death. World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers stated that every effort must be made to learn lessons from the incident. However, Jockey Andrew Thornton, a BBC Radio 5 Live pundit, defended Nolan, stating that he did everything in his power to look after the horse and that the 10-day ban was a severe penalty.

The death of Celebre d'Allen has raised concerns about the safety and welfare of horses in the sport, and the British Horseracing Authority's investigation is expected to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the incident. Meanwhile, another horse, Broadway Boy, is recovering well after a heavy fall in the Randox Grand National, and is expected to make a full recovery.