Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies was not attaching blame to the Grand National fences at Aintree after Little Josh was put down following a fall in the John Smith's Topham Chase.
The 11-year-old parted company with rider Sam Twiston-Davies at the 15th fence in the extended two-mile-five-furlong event, run over the Grand National course.
Little Josh had previously shown smart form over the big obstacles, finishing seventh when favourite for this race a year ago and winning the Grand Sefton Chase in December. He fell on his next appearance at Cheltenham, was pulled up in the Denman Chase at Newbury and then finished down the field on his only subsequent outing in a Warwick handicap chase in February.
Grand National-winning trainer Twiston-Davies paid tribute to Little Josh, who had career earnings of over £170,000 and won nine races in total, including the 2010 Paddy Power Gold Cup.
He said: "He's gone out doing what he loved the most, he's jumped round those fences before and it's one of those things. It could happen anywhere, it could happen at home and it's not the fences – it could have happened at a park course.
"It's desperate, as he is one of Sam's favourite horses and he has been a great servant."
Professor Chris Proudman, veterinary advisor to Aintree, said: "We are sad to confirm that it has been necessary to humanely put down Little Josh on welfare grounds, as a result of his fall in the John Smith's Topham Chase."
All 28 other horses in the race returned safely.
