Top stayer Bannow Bay put down at the weekend
The Christy Roche-trained eight-year-old became ill while recovering from a routine operation and was destroyed on Saturday.
“He went for an operation last week for a chip (on his near-fore knee) but came back and wasn’t well and had to be put down,” a spokesperson for Roche’s stable said.
“He wasn’t right and we knew there was something up.”
Bannow Bay will be best remembered for his battle with Baracouda in last year’s Bonusprint Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival where the French ace just got the better of Roche’s charge by a neck.
Bannow Bay was again a leading fancy for this season’s stayers’ crown until ruled out of the race through injury and the plan was for him to go chasing next term.
Regular partner Charlie Swan said Bannow Bay was one of the best stayers he had ridden.
He said: “It‘s terrible news. He was a great horse. We were unlucky not to win the Stayers’ last year and he would have had a big chance this time.
“He was a tough horse and it’s very sad. He was a kind old horse to ride.”
Bannow Bay raced 19 times over jumps, winning nine times and over £160,000 in prizemoney.
