McKelvey (horse)


McKelvey was an Irish-bred, British-trained thoroughbred racehorse, ridden by Tom O'Brien and trained by Peter Bowen.

Racing career

McKelvey won the 2006 Summer National and came second in the 2007 Grand National. On 5 April 2008 during the 2008 Grand National he dislodged his rider at the twentieth fence, ran loose, jumping the next fence he stumbled on landing which made him fall under the barrier. As he got up, still under the barrier, he fractured his back and was euthanized on field.

Death

McKelvey had been featured before the race on the BBC's The One Show, and his death gave rise to much debate about the safety of the Grand National Meeting. However, it is widely accepted that his death was a tragic accident and came about through no fault of any connected to him or the course. It was also unrelated to the tendon injury he sustained when finishing runner up to Silver Birch in the same race the year before.