Many Clouds tragically collapsed and died after lowering the colours of Thistlecrack in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham today.

Owned by Trevor Hemmings, Oliver Sherwood's 2015 Grand National hero was winning the race for a second time, having also claimed the recognised Gold Cup trial before his Aintree success.

Gold Cup favourite Thistlecrack made several jumping errors on his way around, but came back on the bridle for Tom Scudamore jumping the last.

The Colin Tizzard-trained King George winner led on the run-in, but the gallant Many Clouds refused to be beaten.

But having answered every call for jockey Leighton Aspell, the 8/1 winner, who got home by a head, collapsed after the winning post, being treated immediately by veterinary staff before his death was confirmed.

A sombre Tizzard said: "We were just beaten by the better horse on the day, two fantastic horses ran right to the line.

"Poor old Many Clouds. My initial thought when we got beat was that I was disappointed but it's as sad as can be, he was a lovely horse and he beat us on the day.

"We ran our race, we're not making any excuses - today, on winter ground, we were beaten by a better horse, no question.

"They had a battle and it's just a tragic end to the race. This is what happens in our sport occasionally and you've got to face up to it."

Nathan Horrocks, who rides Many Clouds on the gallops, told Racing UK: "It's a shock, from shouting him home to 10 minutes later he's not even with us.

"He's a massive loss for everybody, he's of huge importance to the yard but also to Lambourn and the sport.

"He captured the nation, but that is our sport - it makes us love it and hate it. What was great about him, and was also his downfall, was that he didn't know when to quit."

Bred by Aidan Aherne, Many Clouds, a 10-year-old son of Cloudings and Bobbing Back, won 11 of his 26 starts and £870,782 in prize money. He was ridden in everyone of this races by Leighton Aspell who left the track after the race and was descried by Sherwood as "in bits".