Faugheen went novice chasing at the age of 11 and won 3 of his 4 races including 2 G1s (one at the age of 12) and was 3rd at the Festival in the other chase (also a G1).
Sea Pigeon won a Champion Hurdle at the age of 11 and Red Rum won his 3rd Grand National at the age of 12, whilst Amberleigh House also won his National at 12, for three successive years (2012, 2013 and 2014) the Grand National was all won by 11 yr olds.
For me the rules should not be brought in barring horses from competing if they reach a certain age as horses (like people) differ with their age and what they can and can’t do – a blanket rule should not be introduced.
Was Envoi Allen an outsider to win the Gold Cup, absolutely but in his last four runs before Friday he had won two G1s over 3m and as such it would appear that as he got older he clearly required further than the 2m4f he excelled at earlier in his career – incidentally his dam was a half sister to a 4m1f La Touche Cup Cross Country winner so there was stamina in the family.
He clearly passed all the pre vet checks to be able to run in the race and could he have been pulled up in the straight…….yes but I am certain had Darragh O’Keeffe felt that something was amiss with the horse at that time he would have pulled him up instead of letting him come home in his own time.
This was a tragic accident that couldn’t have been foreseen and could have just as likely happened at home after a routine canter.