Willie Mullins speaks out on Gold Dancer’s death as stewards decide on punishing jockey | Racing | Sport

Willie Mullins says the tragic death of Gold Dancer was “unbelievable” as the seven-year-old became the first fatality of the 2026 Grand National Festival minutes after winning the 2.20pm race on Friday. Gold Dancer suffered a broken back after dragging his back legs through the final fence but still finished first in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase on day two.

Jockey Paul Townend faced criticism for not immediately pulling up the horse before it won by four lengths. Veterinary experts later made the decision to put Gold Dancer down after the Mullins-trained horse collapsed. Townend will not face any punishment after a stewards’ enquiry. And both Mullins and the British Horseracing Authority’s director of equine health and welfare agree that the jockey did all he should have. Mullins told Racing TV: “It’s a big loss out of the yard because he’s a horse we thought was improving all the time.

“To give such an exhibition of jumping, to give his owner, give me, give Paul, all the people who backed him such a thrill, and then for that to happen after the line is unbelievable. Unbelievable.

“I haven’t spoken to Paul about the stewards enquiry but he said to me that the horse galloped through the line fine and went down to a slow pace canter. Just as he was turning he went into a trot and that was the first he felt anything. He felt the horse was fine going through the winning post, pulling up in a canter. You have to turn the bend, he pulled on the rein to turn and next thing the horse lost his action. He’s assuming whatever happened, happened there.

“Everyone has to gather their thoughts. I wanted the vets to go and look and see what they think. I’ll probably talk to them after the last race. What’s done is done. What’s happened has happened. I’m sure they’re looking to see what actually happened if they do an autopsy.

“I would say Paul didn’t feel the horse had any damage and he galloped all the way to the line. That’s what you do when you’re a rider, like a forward going for goal, you keep going and kick the ball into the net if you can. It’s the same with a jockey. Unless they feel the horse’s action is really wrong, he’s not going to stop. If he stops, he’ll lose his licence and the punters will say ‘why did you pull him up?’

“He didn’t feel anything was wrong. Horses make mistakes and people out running trip and get up and go on and run another 10 miles and only find out later that night they’ve pulled a muscle somewhere. It’s just life. We can’t legislate for everything. People go on with their daily lives and their daily sports. You do what you have to do. That’s the way I look at it. If Paul thought there was something wrong, he’d be the first man to pull it up.”

Townend told the stewards he felt the horse ran soundly to the finish and said Gold Dancer’s action only changed when rounding the bend towards the pull up area. James Given, the BHA director of equine safety and welfare, supported the evidence of Townend.

He told ITV: “The horse jumped and slipped and lost his back end and went down. He came up very quickly, took one half stride to get organised and galloped away.

“I was in the enquiry and gave evidence. I was able to watch it from front on and behind. The horse stayed absolutely straight as an arrow. Wasn’t showing any signs of deviating off a straight line or not being asymmetrical. The back legs were following the front legs exactly.

“It was only when he’d gone past the winning line it’s then turned round to the left as the track goes, and it went from the gait of cantering down to trot which is more of a stiff upright gait. That’s when the action changed and it was only at that point Paul became aware.

“That’s all you can see that the action changed. He immediately pulled up, jumped off and was attended by the vets. I don’t believe Paul was able to notice at all. The horse was running a straight line, not hanging or being in any way asymmetric.

“The first felt normal to him and it was only when the action changed from a canter down to a trot that the pain became aware. He behaved as he absolutely should have done, pulled the horse up and jumped off him straight away.

“After examination by the vets, the horse was upright and wobbly. He was stabilised and able to stand with a bit of support. The screens were put straight around him and the vets were given all the time they needed to examine him but the horse then did collapse. At that point he was then euthanised.”

Eddie O’Leary of Gold Dancer’s owners Gigginstown House Stud said: “He’s been put down. He broke his back. It’s terribly sad for the horse. What could Paul do? He felt fine, it was just when he pulled up that something was wrong. He jumped brilliantly and there was that one little mistake. It’s a hollow victory.”

A statement from the BHA said: “The veterinary assessment was that the appropriate course of action was to humanely euthanise the horse.

“Having reviewed the footage of the incident, James Given, the BHA’s Director of Equine Regulation, Safety and Welfare, agreed that Gold Dancer’s action was typical of a horse in the closing stages of such a race, that he appeared sound until rounding the bend, at which point he was immediately dismounted.

“As is the case with any fatal injury, the incident will now be looked at in detail through our fatality review process, which is part of the sport’s commitment to ongoing improvements in racehorse safety.”

Miami Magic and Jordans Cross both fell during the race but both horses managed to walk back to the stables.