Queen's horse put down at Royal Ascot

Queen's horse put down at Royal Ascot




CREDIT: CHARLIE CROWHURST/GETTY

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16 JUNE 2016 • 7:26PM

One of the Queen’s racehorses was put down at Royal Ascot after breaking its foot in the King George V Stakes.

Guy Fawkes went down in the early stages of the race and vets were unable to save the three-year-old gelding.

William Haggas, trainer, said: “Unfortunately he suffered a compound fracture in a right foot and had to be put to sleep. He just took a false step. It’s very sad.”

Jenny Hall, the chief veterinary officer for the British Horseracing Authority, reported the injury to be a fractured off-fore cannon-bone.

Pat Smullen, the jockey, said: “The horse did it after a furlong. It’s one of those things that happen in racing occasionally.”

The death tarnished an otherwise joyous afternoon at Royal Ascot where thousands of racegoers had gathered for Ladies’ Day.

The Queen and Ryan Moore wore matching colours as she presented him with the trophy for winning the Gold Cup CREDIT: DAN ABRAHAM/REX

The Queen had earlier presented the trophy to the winner of the Gold Cup held this year in honour of her 90th birthday.

She had appeared to predict the winner of the day’s feature event by wearing strikingly similar blue and orange colours to Ryan Moore on Order of St George.

The Queen has had 71 winners at Ascot during her reign but not much luck so far during this meeting, her best finish from four runners so far being a fifth place in Wednesday’s Sandringham Handicap. Her best chance of getting a victory on the board will come with recent Chester winner Dartmouth in Saturday’s Hardwicke Stakes.

On this day 12 months ago, her runner Capel Path suffered a career-ending injury to a front-leg two furlongs from home in the Britannia Stakes.

After arriving in the traditional carriage procession to cheers from spectators, the Queen observed horses in the parade ring and chatted to their owners and other guests.

Sir Bruce Forsyth, a regular at Ladies' Day, was too frail to attend after an operation at the end of last year, his wife said.

Lady Forsyth said: "It's a very tiring day even when you're 100% well."

She said Sir Bruce, who has not been seen in public recently, was "still recuperating" and was at home watching the football.