A horse owned by Albion chairman Tony Bloom has died following a fall at a high-profile race meeting.

The Bloom-owned Little Josh fell at the fourth from last hurdle at Aintree, unseating rider Sam Twiston-Davies, who was wearing the Albion-inspired blue and white colours.

The horse limped on but broke a shoulder in the fall and was quickly rounded up by trackside vets and humanely killed.

Little Josh is the second horse to have died in two days at the Grand National meeting as the debate over animal welfare in horse racing stirs again.

Race organisers have spent more than £1 million on improvements to the famous Aintree course after four horses died in the National during the past two years.

On the first day of the festival on Thursday, Battlefront collapsed from a suspected heart attack in the Fox Hunters’ Chase.
 

Albion chairman Mr Bloom bought 11- year-old Little Josh in 2009.

He has gone on to win nine of his 24 races, with career earnings of £170,000.

The gelding had previous success on the Aintree course, winning the £60,000 Grand Sefton Chase in December and finishing seventh when favourite for this race a year ago.

Since his win in December, Little Josh has fallen at Cheltenham and was pulled up at the Denman Chase at Newbury.

The horse was well-placed during yesterday’s race heading into the home straight
before ploughing into the fourth from home, causing other horses to fall behind him.

The horse-loving Albion chief owns several successful horses, including Drunken Sailor, Titus Gent, Sacred Square and Galeb Warrior.

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies paid tribute to Little Josh. He said: “He’s gone out doing what he loved the most. He’s jumped round those fences before and it’s one of those things.

“It could happen anywhere, it could happen at home and it’s not the fences – it could have happened at a park course.

“It’s desperate, as he is one of Sam’s favourite horses and he has been a great servant.”