Trueshan tragedy: "He’s been a stalwart, firm friend, everything to them"

Flat racing lost one of its enduring stars at Goodwood on Tuesday, with the hugely popular Trueshan suffering a fatal injury.

Alan King’s nine-year-old was running in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup for a fourth time, having won it in 2021, and was taking part in the 35th outing of a stellar career. But he was pulled up by Hollie Doyle at the halfway point of the two-mile feature.

James Given, the British Horseracing Authority’s director of equine welfare, told ITV Racing: “I want to express my sincere condolences to all the connections and anyone associated with the horse, no one is going to feel this more than them.

“He’s been a stalwart, he’s been a firm friend, he’s been everything to them.

“What has happened unfortunately is just an accident, mid-race, in a straight line going up a hill. His left-hind pastern broke and left him in a situation that wasn’t recoverable from.

“Alan was able to get down there and assess him with the vet and they felt there was no option really but to put him down.”

A 16-time winner – three of them coming at Group One level – Trueshan had attracted a following that is unusual for a Flat horse due to his longevity.

In 2022 he dropped into handicap company to defy one of the highest marks in recent times when winning the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle.

He struck up a famous partnership with Hollie Doyle, who rode him to 11 of his victories, including three successive triumphs in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on British Champions Day.