Fayr Jag suffers tragic end to his career at Pontefract on 21.04.2008
As reported
and published
by the Racing Post's Ray Gilpin 22/04/2008
The Tim Easterby-trained nine-year-old, ridden by David Allan, was blindfolded and being led into the stalls when he backed out before lurching violently forward and crashed back into the structure of the stalls.
Allan said: "He had the blinds on but then went in reverse and backed out of the stalls. Then, still blindfolded, he launched himself forward into the iron bars and I went over his head into the stalls.
"I was very lucky but it has a terrible way for Fayr Jag to die, he did not deserve that. He gave me my two biggest wins in Group 3s and I feel very sorry for his owner (Jonathan Gill)."
Easterby's father Peter said: "It was a terrible way for Fayr Jag to go, he was up there with the best sprinters we have had, he must have been, he was a Group 1 winner!
"He even met The Queen after he had won the Golden Jubilee and he has been a great servant to the stable and to his owner Jonathan Gill.
"We were going to get him ready for the Steward's Cup, that was the plan for him and we are really going to miss him."
In all Fayr Jag won eleven races, his Group 1 success coming in the 2004 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. He had previously won the Wokingham Stakes there in 2003, while three years later he won the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle and the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury.
He earned over £423,000 in win and place prize money.
Turfcall responds to the distressing news of FAYR JAG'S shocking accident, and death.
"Prevention, not nearly enough care and expertise is being given to owner's runners by racecourses and the starting stall handlers they employ on the cheap. The British Horseracing Authority are directly responsible for all safety and horsemanship standards throughout this industry. Perhaps the only way that this key issue is likely to be attended to after all this time of ignorance and neglect, is for the British Horseracing Authority and the Racecourses to be held responsible and reimburse the Owner for the value of the racehorse in full, and for these cases to be made public. The public will not tolerate animal cruelty, AND RIGHTLY SO."
ENDS