Rob Irving

Just hat we have been needing all season, a proper battling performance. In fairness we battles v Blackpool too but didn't get the result. As Vale fans we ask for nothing more. We can take going down but let's go down fighting 🤛#PVFC #PVBW

@geoffbanksbet Its not just activists though, its genuine national hunt fans too. I love racing but Fakenham was awful, and Darragh O'Keefe didn't take the opportunity to look after Envoi by pulling him up after 3 out. Those things are entirely within racing's gift to sort out

British racing has reached a unique moment We can't stop horse deaths, even if miniscule by comparison to the total racehorse and greyhound population (who face same threat) Appeasement is a slow death for both codes. Even 1 horse death would be suffice for these warped activists seeking self gratification with virtue sigannlong posts What should we defend? The 71,000 racehorses and 7000 dogs The 6 million who attend The 5 million who love to bet on it The 105,000 who work in the industry The 46,000 who work in betting shops The culture of the nation The rights of people to go racing, or bet on it The right of animals to run The protection of both species Looking at these facts - should we not be on the offence against ignorance?

@John1986ire @TouchManage7777 If you rewatch that race, what are your immediate thoughts after Envoi jumps the 3rd last. Is it "pull him up" or is it "keep going he can still win"?

@TouchManage7777 @RobIrving11 Yes and Darragh is a great horse man a true professional. I’d account no blame to him

I am absolutely baffled that people are blaming connections for his death, no one had any objections to him running pre race? No one said they were being greedy pre race? No one said he was too old pre race? A typical case of jumping on a bandwagon. RIP Champ

@SziIlar Running older horses isn't the problem, it's pulling them up after they are beaten that's the issue.

Should l’homme presse and hewick have been banned from running at Cheltenham even though they still ran great races just because they’re older horses? You even had Ballyadam run a great race for the same owners and trainer but nobody had a problem then.

@John1986ire Not really, I don't think I'm the only racing fan who was urging Darragh to pull him up as the race was ongoing

@RobIrving11 Hindsight is a great thing ain’t it

@K1rst3y The question mark is not over the running of the horse in the Gold Cup, it's the decision not to pull up after the 3rd last when the horse was clearly beaten and had nothing left to give.

Just an observation, my timeline was full of ppl saying that Envoi Allen shouldn't have been in the Gold Cup at 12. None of those people protested this before the race. In fact some even retweeted his prep & backed him. It's sad enough as it is without blame being thrown about 😢

@JakeRuss1000 The question mark is not over the running of the horse in the Gold Cup, it's the decision not to pull up after the 3rd last when the horse was clearly beaten and had nothing left to give.

Yesterday racing was hit with the unthinkable news of the legend that is Envoi Allen passing away on his last run. And all I'm seeing is "he shouldn't be running in a Gold Cup at 12" "Owners greed killed him" Firstly have some sympathy for all connected, he was loved...

@NHRACING2025_26 Interested in the riding instructions. Surely they should have been "Have him handy, nurse him into the race, but if there are any signs he's not enjoying it, or if his chance has gone, pull him up"

Henry De Bromhead shouldn’t get any stick r.e. Envoi Allen - the horse won a G1 last time out and was really well in himself. Ideally the jockey would have pulled him up when any chance of obtaining a place was gone however but it’s easy with hindsight.

@BDLandscapeBret @MabonMelbourne @beverley_coult @BHAHorseracing @AnimalAid Running him was justifiable given his record and he had won at Down Royal, but was it sensible at his age, running in the most demanding race of the season over a distance that was at the very limits of his stamina? Given all those things, when he was beaten he should have PU

@MabonMelbourne @RobIrving11 @beverley_coult @BHAHorseracing @AnimalAid Give me one good reason why not? Age isnt a reason because of it is then why did Hansard die in the arkle?

BHA Director of Equine Regulation, Safety and Welfare James Given speaks about the death of Envoi Allen following the Cheltenham Gold Cup today. Get the facts: horsepwr.co.uk

@BDLandscapeBret @beverley_coult @BHAHorseracing @AnimalAid Maybe not "out on his feet" but well beaten and with no chance in the race. I'd question whether he "popped" the last two or clambered over them? The point is, at 12, when beaten, he didn't need to. Just do the right thing and pull him up

@RobIrving11 @beverley_coult @BHAHorseracing @AnimalAid Because he wasn't out on his feet! He came home in his own time, jock didn't whip him to death, he popped the last 2 and was fine when the vets checked him at the finish. Pulling up and not jumping the last 2 would make no difference.What part of that dont you understand?

@TheRacingVet_ The sudden cardiac event may have happened anyway but the question for me is why Darragh didn't give the horse the best possible chance of avoiding any harm by pulling him up after the 3rd last when all chance was gone. There was no need or advantage to carrying on.

Racing lost a star today in what should have been his retirement party, the sport will be worse off without him. Rest in peace, Envoi Allen ❤️🤍💙

The pinnacle of jumps racing had a very sad end to it today, as the 10-time G1 winner, Envoi Allen, collapsed and died after the finish of the Gold Cup. Sudden death is a rare occurrence in our sport. I’ll try to explain what happens and why 🧵⬇️

@ciaranodeorain Why did Darragh feel the need to carry on after jumping the 3rd last when all chance had gone. Why did he feel the need to press on when the horse was beaten and out on his feet. Connections can justify running him but once his chance had gone he should have been pulled up.

Going to be a bit of a long one here so I apologise for advance but I think context is needed…. What happened today to Envoi Allen was unmistakably sad; he was such a popular horse in the NH game and was loved across both Britain and Ireland. For him to collapse after what was always going to be his final race was absolutely tragic and was such a heartbreaking blow after the exhilaration of Gaelic Warrior’s GC win I understand that people, just like me, are deeply upset about this. But people must careful that when (rightfully) expressing their sorrow, they must not at the same time look to pin the blame on certain people without due consideration Yes, he was a 12yo, yes, he was running at Championship race in a Championship pace over a searching and stamina-sapping course and distance. These points are inarguably true But at the same time, he had won his last race in a G1 a few months ago over 3m and looked to be enjoying an Indian Summer; some people like to say that “horses are long enough retired” and the fact is Envoi Allen loved what he was doing and was still producing the goods at the top level Sure, they could have retired him but he wasn’t exactly running as if he was gone at the game. I can understand the argument that maybe there should be age limits which prevent older horses from running in these races but at the same time, Kauto Star won a KG at 11 and ran in a GC at 12, Tidal Bay won a Hennessy at 12, even L’Homme Presse finished 5th today in the GC at 11 If we put in an age limit, where do we put it? And should we putting in a limit based on one example when other examples suggest otherwise? Welfare regulation changes should not be based on a few high-profile examples but rather on a large sample size of data People must also be careful to not use hindsight bias here. You cannot blindly argue that just because Envoi Allen died, he should not have run or should have been pulled up earlier. Of course, you can argue either or but any review of whether they were right or wrong to run him should take into account that connections were not operating with the benefit of hindsight. Any argument should instead be made with the same information that was available to his connections In my view, with the knowledge that was publicly available at the time, I would’ve run Envoi Allen. People must understand that while his death was tragic, not all bad outcomes are the result of factors that were in the control of either him as a racehorse or his connections Where there is life, unfortunately there is death too. Horses are immensely powerful animals but at the same time, they are also very fragile animals. They could die jumping a fence, breaking down on the flat, working at home, from a sickness, or just out in a field doing nothing. There is always risk attached with racehorses even in seemingly harmless situations (Same way there is risk attached to almost any human activity be that driving or running a marathon); the question we must answer is whether the risk they are put under can be justified by the joy they give to both us and to themselves (Given they were effectively bred to do this job) Maybe Darragh should’ve pulled him up earlier, I don’t know but you’d imagine he’d feel as bad as anyone right now. I’m sure if he knew what would happen, he would’ve pulled him up but alas, no-one operates with perfect foresight and IMO, it is unfair to blame him given Envoi Allen finished 53l last and was likely eased up the straight This was a tragedy and the NH game is a lot worse for Envoi Allen’s absence. But just because there was a tragedy does not mean that someone was necessarily at fault. This can be a very tough game as Envoi Allen’s connections only know too well right now. Better for people to mourn the loss of one of the most loved jumps horses in recent years than to demand their pound of flesh off someone without proper consideration. RIP Envoi Allen, you were a real one

@BDLandscapeBret @beverley_coult @BHAHorseracing @AnimalAid Re watch the race. The Envoi was beaten after the 3rd last. He was 12 years old and all chance of even being placed was gone. He should have been pulled up at that point. What was the benefit of carrying on and jumping the 2nd last when the horse was out on his feet?

@beverley_coult @BHAHorseracing @AnimalAid Absolute nonsense. Did you even listen to the man or just jump to conclusions? The horse was fine and had a heart attack coming back to be unsaddled.

@anneflank1929 @beverley_coult @BHAHorseracing @AnimalAid The horse was beaten after the 3rd last and should have been pulled up at that point there was no benefit at all to carry on after that point

@beverley_coult @BHAHorseracing @AnimalAid I think you are getting mixed up with a different horse and a different race. So 'stop this nonsense' Beverley.

@BHAHorseracing Surely the warning sign was that the horse was 12 years old and was running in the hardest, most stamina sapping race of the season. The decision to run can probably be justified. But he was beaten after jumping the 3rd last. Just pull him up at that point. Why carry on?

@RacingTV @nickluck I've been a NH fan for over 40 yes and an Envoi Allen fan since his bumper days. This is a low point for the sport. The decision to run was questionable, the decision not to pull up when his chance was gone is bordering on negligent

James Given, the BHA's Director of Equine Regulation, Safety & Welfare tells @nickluck more about Envoi Allen's sad passing after the Gold Cup which he believes was caused by an acute cardiovascular collapse

@RacingTV Absolutely gutted. What a fine fine racehorse. Such a sad end to an amazing career

❤️ We are so very sorry to announce that Envoi Allen has sadly passed away The 10-time G1 winner was a three-time Cheltenham Festival hero. Our thoughts go out to connections

@LutonTownExile You will find out soon enough that unless everything is going his way, his attitude stinks and he will just down tools.

Devante Cole must be thinking he’s made the biggest mistake of his career joining us. I don’t think he’s had one chance created for him in about 8 games. He scored 8 goals in 23 appearances this season for the League’s rock bottom club FFS. He’s not shit. We are.

@trussliz Says the woman outlasted by a lettuce 🥬🤦

Understatement of the century