Former Love Island contestant and renowned animal lover Faye Winter has shared her shock over the tragic deaths of two horses at the Grand National Festival. The 28-year-old from Exeter has taken to her Instagram page to 'pray' for the horses that will competing today, April 13, at Aintree.
Yesterday, April 12, during Ladies Day, horses Giovinco and Pikar both fell at jumps and had to be treated on the track. Giovinco, trained by two-time Grand National-winning trainer Lucinda Russell, lost his life in the first race.
The last race of the day featured a fatal fall when Pikar, trained by Dan Skelton, came down and broke his neck. It has prompted Faye to publicly raise her concerns about the sport.
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During a Q&A on her Instagram page, Faye was asked about the tragedy. The reality star said: "I can't talk about it RIP Giovinco and Pikar from today's Ladies Day. I pray for them tomorrow."
In 2023 three horses died during Aintree Festival while four horses died in 2022 - including two during the Grand National. The Grand National has undergone a number of alterations for the 2024 races in a bid to improve safety. Fences have been changed, with foam and rubber toe boards added. The height of notorious Fence 11 has also been taken down by two inches.
Announcing the measures in October 2023, the Jockey Club which runs the Grand National Festival, said it had "recognised the need for more substantial updates on several key areas in order to better protect the welfare of racehorses and jockeys".
Last month, Faye - who lost her beloved pooch Blondie in October 2023 - visited Dogs Trust Ilfracombe to see firsthand the work the charity does. She toured the centre, visited the dogs, and spoke to staff about several issues affecting dogs and dog owners.
She is set to present a petition later this year which looks to tackle this issue of unscrupulous breeding practices.
