RACING at the Cheltenham Festival was last night overshadowed by the death of Worcestershire-owned horse Theatre Queen.

The eight-year-old suffered a broken back after falling in the 4.40pm Toby Balding National Hunt Chase at Prestbury Park and was later put down.

It is thought Theatre Queen, who was owned by a syndicate based at The Bull Inn, Fernhill Heath, had initially refused to start the race.

Following her fall, the horse, priced at 33-1, was treated behind screens on the track before news of the tragedy emerged at around 5.30pm.

Gloucester jockey and trainer Mark Wall is not thought to have been hurt in the incident.

It was only the sixth race under rules for Theatre Queen, who had shown great promise since switching from the point-to-point circuit 12 months ago.

Starting had been an issue for the horse already this year after she began 35 lengths behind the pack at Doncaster last month before eventually finishing fourth.

That led to syndicate member Andy Probyn describing Theatre Queen’s start as “quirky” prior to yesterday’s race.

As well as finishing fourth at Doncaster, Theatre Queen claimed a second place at Ludlow in January to go with successive victories at Stratford last May and Cheltenham last April.

Theatre Queen was the third horse to fall on the opening day of this year’s festival after favourite Annie Power dramatically tumbled at the last in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle.

That race had already seen L’Unique fall before getting up.

Theatre Queen’s death prompted tributes on social media with many expressing their sadness at the news.

But others were also critical of a sport for which such scenes, while rare, are not unheard of.

A statement from Cheltenham Racecourse said: “Unfortunately, Theatre Queen suffered a fatal injury in the sixth race yesterday and was consequently put down.”

Annie Power’s dramatic final-flight fall let in her Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Glens Melody to win the mares’ hurdle.

Runner-up to her illustrious now retired stable companion Quevega 12 months earlier, Glens Melody (6-1) capitalised after Annie Power appeared to have the race safely in the bag when she crashed out at the last.

Annie Power had stormed to the front under Ruby Walsh two from home and was still travelling easily when she misjudged the obstacle. Both Annie Power and jockey Walsh emerged seemingly none the worse.

Glens Melody, ridden by Paul Townend, went on to just hold off Polly Peachum (9-1) by a head with Bitofapuzzle (16-1) a neck away in third.

Cause Of Causes (8-1) went on to win the steeplechase involving Theatre Queen, keeping Broadway Buffalo (12-1) at bay by a length-and-a-half.

The Job Is Right was five lengths back in third.

Faugheen (4-5 favourite) was the star of the show in the Stan James Champion Hurdle as he headlined a Mullins four-timer on the first day.

How we reported the anxious wait for news about Theatre Queen