Barry Cash celebrates last year’s Cheltenahm win on “Big Shu.”
THE Derry owners of Cheltenham Festival winner Big Shu are devastated tonight after he died at the same race track today.
He was competing in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase over three miles and seven furlongs at Cheltenham.
Big Shu, winner of the cross-country chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2013, died from a suspected heart attack after being pulled up during the race.
His trainer, Peter Maher, had earlier said the horse had endured a rough crossing from Ireland and there was speculation that that may somehow contributed to his death.
However vets at the track were reluctant to be drawn into discussing Big Shu, pending a possible post-mortem.
The horse is owned by local man Hugh Duffy.
Big Schu finished third in the same Cheltenham race this year – and was a faller at the fourth fence in this year’s Aintree Grand National.