BHA Issues Report on Grand National Golden Girl Rachael Blackmore’s Serious Accident as Her Horse Is Seriously Injured and Dies at Aintree, Shocking the Racing Community

In a development that has sent ripples of concern through the equestrian world, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has released a comprehensive report detailing the harrowing incident involving celebrated jockey Rachael Blackmore and her mount, Willy De Houelle, during the opening day of the 2025 Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse. The accident, which occurred on April 3, 2025, in the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle, resulted in the tragic death of the promising four-year-old gelding and left Blackmore requiring immediate medical attention. This event not only underscores the inherent risks of jump racing but has reignited fierce debates on animal welfare and safety protocols within the sport.

Rachael Blackmore, the 35-year-old Irish sensation who etched her name into history by becoming the first woman to win the Grand National in 2021 aboard Minella Times, was at the peak of her form heading into Aintree. Fresh off a triumphant Cheltenham Festival where she secured victories on Bob Olinger in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and Air Of Entitlement in the Ryanair Chase, Blackmore was riding with characteristic poise. Willy De Houelle, trained by the formidable Willie Mullins and owned by the affluent Rich and Susannah Ricci, was a highly regarded contender in the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle over two miles and one furlong. The horse, sired by Walk In The Park out of a mare with a solid jumping pedigree, had shown flashes of brilliance in his limited starts, making him a hot prospect for future glory.

The incident unfolded early in the race, just after the third flight of hurdles. Eyewitness accounts and race replays captured the moment Willy De Houelle misjudged the obstacle, stumbling heavily upon landing and somersaulting forward. Blackmore, caught in the momentum, was unceremoniously dislodged, tumbling awkwardly onto the turf as the field thundered past. Fellow jockeys JJ Slevin on Naturally Nimble and others were also brought down in the chaos, but both horse and rider escaped serious harm. The scene was chaotic, with on-course veterinarians and medical teams rushing to the aid of Blackmore and the stricken gelding. ITV Racing presenter Ed Chamberlin, commentating live, conveyed the tension to viewers: “Rachael Blackmore walked into the ambulance, did look pretty sore doing so. Our thoughts with the Riccis. We hope Rachael’s okay, and Willie Mullins—that will take the gloss off him winning that contest.”

Blackmore, no stranger to the perils of the saddle—having recovered from a serious neck injury in December 2024 that sidelined her for months—was transported to a medical facility for precautionary checks. Initial reports were encouraging; she was described as a “tough cookie” by insiders, and by late afternoon, updates confirmed she had sustained only minor bruising and soreness. Remarkably, Blackmore returned to the weighing room and was cleared to ride later that day, though she ultimately passed on her mount in the subsequent races. Joe Chambers, racing manager for the Ricci family, spoke to Racing TV with a mix of sorrow and resilience: “We lost Willy De Houelle sadly, another great young horse… Thankfully Rachael is okay. It’s an amazing game; we were on our backside an hour and a half ago, and now here we are with two Grade One winners at Aintree in the sunshine.”

The BHA’s fatality review process, a rigorous mechanism established to scrutinize every equine death on British tracks, swung into action immediately. Over the ensuing weeks, a panel comprising veterinary experts, trainers, and racing officials meticulously analyzed data from racecourse staff, Blackmore’s post-incident debrief, Mullins’ training logs, and the horse’s medical history. The report, published on September 25, 2025—just one day prior to this writing—paints a sobering picture. It concludes that Willy De Houelle’s fall was precipitated by a combination of factors: the horse’s relative inexperience over hurdles, exacerbated by a slight softening of the ground due to pre-race showers, and an inadvertent clip of the hurdle with his foreleg. Post-mortem examinations revealed catastrophic pelvic fractures and internal hemorrhaging, rendering euthanasia the only humane option on-site. Crucially, the panel found no evidence of negligence—neither in preparation nor during the ride—but highlighted the unpredictable nature of jumping under race pressure.

The report also contextualizes the tragedy within broader trends. Since 2000, Aintree alone has witnessed 66 equine fatalities across its festivals, contributing to over 3,000 deaths in National Hunt racing in the UK and Ireland combined during the same period. The BHA emphasized its commitment to welfare, noting that more than £50 million has been invested in equine health research since the millennium, including advancements in biomechanics, track surface engineering, and pre-race veterinary screening. “While no incident is acceptable, our data shows a 20% reduction in fall rates over the last decade due to these initiatives,” the report states. Recommendations include mandatory fatigue monitoring for young horses in graded races and further trials of modified hurdle designs to reduce landing impacts.

Yet, the findings have done little to quell outrage from animal rights advocates. The League Against Cruel Sports, led by Chief Executive Emma Slawinski, decried the death as “preventable cruelty,” demanding an outright ban on jump racing. “Willy De Houelle’s demise—the 66th at Aintree since 2000—exposes the barbarity of pushing young animals to their limits on courses designed for spectacle over safety,” Slawinski declared in a statement. Protests outside Aintree during the festival drew hundreds, with banners reading “End the Carnage” and calls for an independent welfare regulator unburdened by industry ties. Peta echoed these sentiments, labeling the Grand National a “death trap” and urging boycotts of the event’s sponsors.

Within the racing fraternity, reactions have been more measured but no less poignant. Willie Mullins, speaking at his Closutton yard post-report, described Willy De Houelle as “a special talent with so much potential—it’s heartbreaking.” Henry de Bromhead, Blackmore’s long-time trainer, praised her fortitude: “Rachael’s been through the wars, but she bounces back every time. This one hurts us all.” The incident cast a pall over the festival, where Blackmore had been slated to ride Minella Indo in the Grand National proper on April 5. She withdrew, citing emotional strain, allowing the horse to run under a substitute jockey and finish a respectable fourth.

As the dust settles five months later, the BHA report serves as both a memorial and a mandate. It honors Willy De Houelle’s brief but brilliant career while pushing for incremental reforms that could avert future losses. For Blackmore, now back in the irons with a string of autumn wins under her belt, the accident is a stark reminder of the fine line between triumph and tragedy. The racing community, ever resilient, mourns but marches on—yet the voices calling for change grow louder, challenging stewards to evolve or risk obsolescence. In the grand tapestry of the sport, incidents like this thread a cautionary tale: glory comes at a cost, and the bill is often paid in silence by those who cannot speak.