Cheltenham Festival legend Envoi Allen tragically collapses and dies after final race before retirement
LEGENDARY racehorse Envoi Allen has left punters absolutely heartbroken after he collapsed and died following his run in the Gold Cup.
The three-time Festival winner was walking back to the stables when he went down.
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He was attended to urgently by racecourse vets but, according to ITV, nothing could be done to save him.
In a horrific twist, the Gold Cup was to be his final ever race before retirement.
His shock passing casts a shadow over the entire week – but racegoers everywhere will remember him as the horse who gave so much to so many over so many years.
The veteran, aged 12, ran gallantly in his final race but the contest proved too much for him in the end.
Willie Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior won the race emphatically – star jockey Paul Townend took the ride on the winner after two-time champion Galopin Des Champs was withdrawn.
Envoi Allen had an illustrious eight-year career and it is absolutely gut-wrenching that it had to end in this way.
Then trained by Gordon Elliott, the gelding achieved his first Grade 1 success in the Champion Bumper in 2019.
After getting two more Grade 1s under his belt later in the year – he returned to Cheltenham in March 2020 in emphatic fashion.
He won the Ballymore, now the Turners, by 4¼ lengths with two-time Grand National winner Davy Russell onboard.
When he returned to the Festival in 2021 he fell despite being 4-9 favourite.
This brought to an end his staggering record of winning all of his first eleven races under rules.
After switching to the handling of Henry De Bromhead – he returned to the Cheltenham winners enclosure in 2023.
The star won the Ryanair with revolutionary female jockey Rachael Blackmore onboard – leaving fellow legend Shishkin in their wake.
The ten-time Grade 1 winner was unable to repeat the feat the following year – finishing second to Dan Skelton’s Protektorat.
He also went for the Ryanair in 2025 finishing third.
The icon won a record breaking third Down Royal Champion Chase in November 2025 adding to his victories in 2022 and 2024.
Following the heartbreaking death of a star of the sport, punters have taken to X to show their love for the horse.
One wrote: “The Envoi Allen news is completely crushing. So unbelievably sad. An incredible horse, loved by many. Rest easy, Envoi.”
Another said: “A legend of the game who has passed away after his last ever race. Heartbreaking. May he rest in peace.”
Another wrote: “The horse that made me fall in love with the sport. A horse of a lifetime, the horse of the people. Goodbye Envoi Allen.”
