Show caption Dame Rose before the start of the first race at Cheltenham on Thursday. Photograph: Steven Cargill/racingfotos.com/Rex/Shutterstock Horse racing Horse dies at Cheltenham before race abandoned in sweltering heat • Long-distance race called off on welfare grounds

• Dame Rose collapsed and died after opening event Greg Wood @Greg_Wood_ Thu 19 Apr 2018 16.47 BST Share on Facebook

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Cheltenham racecourse took the unprecedented decision to abandon one of its races on Thursday on the grounds the three‑and‑a‑quarter‑mile trip was too extreme on one of the hottest April days for many years. The decision followed the death of a runner after crossing the line in the opening race.

Dame Rose, a five-year-old mare trained by Richard Hobson, was one of two runners in the first race, a Listed mares’ novice hurdle, set to carry a 5lb penalty, which took her weight to 11st 5lb. She passed the post just under five lengths behind the winner, Dame De Compagnie, but collapsed and died soon afterwards.

Banjo Girl, who finished third in the same race, and Angels Antics, who was sixth, were reported to be “suffering from heat stress post-race” following a veterinary examination. Tara Mist, fourth home in the two‑mile and five-furlong mares’ novice chase which followed was also reported to be suffering from heat stress.

All runners at Cheltenham on Thursday were being drenched with water after crossing the line, as the temperature climbed to almost double the average for April of 14C. After consulting with veterinary officers as well as senior jockeys and trainers including Richard Johnson, Noel Fehily, David Pipe and Martin Scudamore, the decision was taken to abandon the Jrl Group Mares’ Handicap Chase.

The official notice of the inquiry reported that “having heard their evidence, the stewards decided to abandon race four – as it potentially posed an unacceptable risk to horses over this extreme distance in the prevailing heat, especially as horses appear not to have acclimatised to the exceptionally warm weather following a prolonged cold spell”.

A post mortem is expected to be carried out on Dame Rose in an attempt to determine whether her death was related to the high temperature.

Robin Mounsey, the British Horseracing Authority’s head of media, said the regulator hoped those affected by the decision to abandon a race would understand that horse welfare was paramount.

“While we appreciate that this decision may be frustrating to some,” Mounsey said. “It was discussed at length with vets, jockeys, trainers and the racecourse and we hope those affected will understand the decision was taken with welfare in mind.

“Hot weather provisions have been put in place across the country, such as extra water and tired horses not returning to the parade ring after races but the decision was made to cancel this one race as an extra precaution.”

At Newmarket, Charlie Appleby’s Masar was a big mover in the betting for the 2,000 Guineas on 5 May after an impressive front-running success in the Group Three Craven Stakes over the same one-mile trip as the Classic. He is now top-priced at 8-1 with SkyBet, having been a 50-1 chance on Thursday morning.

Roaring Lion, the runner-up to Saxon Warrior in the Racing Post Trophy last October, was sent off at odds‑on to confirm himself on course for the Classic but Masar did not give any of his rivals a chance to lay down a challenge as he quickened and stayed on strongly to beat White Mocha by nine lengths with Roaring Lion only third. “He’s wintered in Dubai and done fantastically well,” Appleby said.

“There was never an intention to run him there but he was getting too well and we wanted to take a bit of the gas out of him. Masar was always going to be on the front end because we thought if it turned into a bit of a dogfight up the hill, his fitness was going to be his edge. William said he quickened before the dip and then quickened up the hill again, and he’s a far stronger individual this year.

“He was professional today from the moment he turned up for the race. Last year we had a hood on him in the preliminaries and he just wanted to get on with it. On what I’ve seen out there, he’s going to be a big [Guineas] contender, for sure.”