Death of brilliant Barnbrook Again

Dual Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Barnbrook Again has died at the age of 22.

The winner of 17 of his 31 starts over jumps suffered a heart attack at the Co Westmeath stud of owner Mel Davies.

“Every time he ran you really felt like you were living the dream,” Davies told the Racing Post.

“It’s very sad, I will miss the old horse. I only saw him three weeks ago and I will never have one like him again.”

Barnbrook Again started off as a juvenile with Derek Haydn-Jones before moving to join Stan Mellor, for whom he won on the Flat as a three-year-old.

However, he enjoyed his greatest moments in the care of David Elsworth.

“I was privileged to train him, he was a wonderful horse who would give you everything,” the trainer said.

“I hate to compare horses, but I would have to say he was one of the outstanding two-mile chasers.

“He was outstanding at two miles and just as effective at two and a half and he would have won the King George but for Desert Orchid – not many could beat him round there.”