Leading jockey Paul Townend has revealed what occurred when Gold Dancer sustained a fatal injury at Aintree's Grand National Festival on Friday. The Willie Mullins-trained horse delivered an almost flawless performance and was heading towards a commanding victory in the William Hill Mildmay Novices' Chase. However, he made a catastrophic mistake at the final fence, dragging his hind legs through the obstacle, shedding momentum before being urged to the line, still managing to secure a nearly five-length triumph.

Sensing something was amiss, Townend promptly pulled up Gold Dancer shortly beyond the finish and quickly dismounted. The horse received immediate attention from Aintree's veterinary team, with green screens positioned around the horse for privacy, yet despite their utmost efforts Gold Dancer could not be saved. "He's been put down. He broke his back," said Eddie O'Leary, racing manager for Gigginstown owned by his brother, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary.

"It's terribly sad for the horse. What could Paul Townend do? He felt fine, it was just when he pulled up that something was wrong." Miami Magic and Jordans Cross fell during the race but both horses walked back to the stables afterwards.

Aintree Racecourse released a statement confirming the news of Gold Dancer's death. They said: "The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after the line and dismounted. He was immediately attended to by our expert veterinary team but sadly he could not be saved. Our heartfelt condolences are with his connections."

The stewards launched an inquiry into the riding of Gold Dancer. "From jumping the final fence up until rounding the bend towards the pull up area after which the gelding was immediately assessed by Veterinary Surgeons and subsequently euthanised on welfare grounds," their report stated.

It went on to say: "Townend and the Director of Equine Regulation, Safety, and Welfare were both interviewed and shown recordings of the incident. Townend explained that Gold Dancer had made a bad mistake at the last fence after which it had taken a stride or two for the gelding to gather himself before, in his opinion, running on in a straight line to the winning line where Gold Dancer felt sound.

"Townend added that it was only until rounding the bend towards the pull up area that the gelding's action changed when Gold Dancer went from a canter to a trot after which he immediately dismounted from the gelding.

"After reviewing the footage, The Director of Equine, Safety, and Welfare explained that Gold Dancer's action was typical of a 3-mile chaser in the final stages of a race and supported the evidence of Townend. After hearing all of their evidence, the Stewards noted Townend's explanation."

Mullins, speaking to RacingTV, said: "It's a big loss out of the yard because he was improving all the time and today, to give such an exhibition of jumping, to give his owner, give me, give Paul, all the people who backed him such a thrill and then for that to happen after the line was unbelievable.

"Paul said to me the horse galloped through the line fine, went down to his slow pace at a canter and then just as he turned he went into a trot and that was the first he felt. He took a pull of the reins and that's when he lost his action.

"I would say he didn't feel that the horse had any damage and he galloped all the way to the line and that's what you do. It's like a forward going for goal. He's going to keep going and if something happens he's going to keep going and kick the ball into the back of the net if he can.

"Same with the jockey. Unless they feel that the horse's action really wrong, he's not going to stop, because if he stops he'll lose his licence. The other punters will drag him off the horse and say what did you pull him up for.

"He didn't feel anything was wrong until after the line. Horses make mistakes and people out running trip and get up and run another ten miles and they only find out later on that night that they've pulled a muscle somewhere. It's just life. We can't legislate for everything.

"If Paul thought there was something wrong he'd be the first one to pull him up." A statement from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) read: "The veterinary assessment was that the appropriate course of action was to humanely euthanise the horse.

"Having reviewed the footage of the incident, James Given, the BHA's Director of Equine Regulation, Safety and Welfare, agreed that Gold Dancer's action was typical of a horse in the closing stages of such a race, that he appeared sound until rounding the bend, at which point he was immediately dismounted.

"As is the case with any fatal injury, the incident will now be looked at in detail through our fatality review process, which is part of the sport's commitment to ongoing improvements in racehorse safety."