Liverpool, England – Love Island alum Faye Winter expressed her sadness at the Aintree Festival following the tragic deaths of two horses, Giovinco and Pikar, during a race on Ladies Day. The Grand National, taking place today, will see 34 horses navigating the challenging course.
Winter, a known animal lover, took to her Instagram page to join the conversation after animal charities called for an end to racing in light of the incidents on Friday. Both horses fell at jumps during the races and had to be attended to on the track.
Giovinco, a seven-year-old horse ridden by Stephen Mulqueen, was treated extensively by veterinarians but could not survive the injuries sustained in the fall. Pikar, on the other hand, tragically broke his neck after a fall, as reported by animal rights group Animal Aid.
During an Instagram Q&A session, Winter was asked about the tragedy and expressed her condolences for Giovinco and Pikar. Winter, who owns a golden retriever named Bonnie, shared her prayers for the horses involved in the races.
A spokesperson for Aintree Racecourse stated that after Giovinco fell during the first race of the day, veterinary professionals attended to him immediately. Unfortunately, after assessment, it was determined that the most humane course of action for the horse’s welfare was to euthanize him.
The Grand National has seen changes for the 2024 races aimed at enhancing safety, including alterations to fences and the addition of foam and rubber toe boards. Notorious Fence 11 has also been lowered by two inches in height. These modifications were announced by the Jockey Club, the organization behind the Grand National Festival, in October 2023, following previous incidents of horse fatalities at the event.