A RACEHORSE whose death in the Grand National sparked an outpouring of grief has been immortalised in a portrait.

Peter and Anne Nelson have hung the pastel artwork of their steeplechaser According to Pete in the lounge of their home in Helperby, near Thirsk, so they can always be with their beloved horse.

Mr Nelson said entering the 11-year-old in the controversial four-and-a-half mile Aintree race in 2012 had been a fairytale, and he had believed the 16hh gelding was going land National Hunt racing's most coveted prize before being brought down and sustaining an untreatable fracture at the notoriously dangerous Becher's Brook.

After the race, which also saw Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised fatally injured at the same fence, the RSPCA called for an overhaul of the fixture and retired vehicle mechanic Mr Nelson said having 40 horses competing was "daft".

His devastated family received more than 400 letters of sympathy from racing fans around the world.

Mr Nelson said: "According to Pete was an incredible horse, he knew he was good and he was full of himself.

"When he was a foal he jumped out of the paddock. A lot of owners don't get one like that in their lifetime.

"He was one of our family and he died doing what he loved."

Since the tragedy, the Nelsons have searched for an artist who could capture According to Pete's personality and while visiting the Great Yorkshire Show this year commissioned artist John Rotherham to create a life-like portrait of the horse, which had won £200,000 in prize money.

After weeks of discussions, examining photographs and preliminary sketches, Mr Rotherham produced the tribute, which depicts the horse, which was trained by Malcolm Jefferson, of Norton, North Yorkshire, "geared up for a race".

Mr Rotherham said: “I felt a huge responsibility to get this right."

Mr Nelson said: “The painting is everything we wanted and more. It’s like he’s looking over the stable door at us, we can’t thank John enough.

"He is with us and he is looking at us.

"It is a marvellous tribute to a horse that was a hell of a jumper and could have won the Grand National."

He said wins by According to Pete's half-sister, Anne's Valentino, at Redcar and Musselburgh in May had also helped soothe their grief.

Mr Nelson added: "People say you should stop the National, but it's a great achievement to win it and it had been my dream to parade him in the village."