'They're looked after like kings' - Hill Sixteen's owner defends sport despite sad Grand National loss

Hill Sixteen's owner Jimmy Fyffe has defended the sport's actions and record on horse welfare following an emotional day at Aintree on Saturday, which saw his star suffer a fatal injury in the Randox Grand National.

The Sandy Thomson-trained ten-year-old fell for the only time in his 27-race career at the first fence in the National, which had been delayed by animal rights protesters.

Fyffe, who part-owned Hill Sixteen with Scott Townshend, backed the care that racehorses receive and insists his horse's death will not deter him from the sport.

"You can lose a horse in the field who is running about," he said. "The horses get looked after so well by all of the trainers. I've been in all the stables where I've got horses and they're looked after like kings, they really are.

"Sadly it [losing a horse] happened for me and Scott, but I love the game and invest a lot of money in it. The horses have a great life and love running, so I've got no qualms with staying in this game."

Thomson blamed the incident on the start being delayed by around 15 minutes after several protesters got on the course and tried to secure themselves to fences and railings.

Jimmy Fyffe (centre): owner lost Hill Sixteen in the Grand NationalCredit: John Grossick

The trainer said it caused Hill Sixteen – who had been badly hampered when unseating in the Scottish Grand National 12 months earlier – to become "hyper", and Fyffe agreed the saga could have played a part in what happened.

He said: "It didn't help with the horses walking about for a lengthy amount of time and then going back to the stables and coming back again. That wasn't good for the horses.

"I was absolutely gutted to lose Hill Sixteen, especially for the stable staff, Sandy and all his team. It was heartbreaking."

Hill Sixteen was not the only bad luck over the National fences that Fyffe and Townshend had. On Friday, their Cooper's Cross, trained by Stuart Coltherd, fell four out in the Topham after being hampered when travelling well.

Fyffe, a director and sponsor of Scottish Premiership football team Dundee United, had a decidedly mixed experience at Aintree, as less than an hour after his National heartbreak he won the concluding Grade 2 bumper with the Nicky Richards-trained Florida Dreams.

He said: "He's very exciting and it was good getting a win on home soil first [at Musselburgh] and then we wanted to keep him for this race. 

"I love Aintree, sadly I lost a horse in the National, which is the ups and downs of the sport. I love getting a lot of my horses here, so to win was brilliant."

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118 arrested as 2023 Grand National delayed after animal rights protesters storm track at Aintree   

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