Trainer Lucinda Russell has spoken of her “devastation” at the loss of the exciting young hurdler, Brindisi Breeze – who has been killed in a freak accident.
The six-year-old jumped out of his paddock at Lucinda’s Kinross yard in the early hours of Saturday (19 May) and was hit by an oil tanker.
He died instantly.
Brindisi Breeze became the first Scottish-trained Cheltenham winner for 10 years in March, when he trounced the field in the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle.
In a statement on her website, Lucinda said: “To go from the pride of standing at Cheltenham watching Brindisi and Campbell [Gillies] stride up the hill to victory to the devastation of today’s bizarre incident leaves me deeply saddened.
“With the love and the care that is given to these wonderful athletes, to lose any of them is difficult but when it is a horse who has achieved so much in his short life, it is deeply upsetting.
“It will be hard to overcome,” she added.
Lucinda continued: “He will be sorely missed by the whole yard and especially his sporting owner, Sandy Seymour, who adored his horse.”
Mr Seymour said of “Brin”:
“He had already, in his tragically short career, formed a huge fan club and had become one of those special athletes who instantly capture the attention of the public.”
