Godolphin star Blues and Royals put down

Blue And Royals, whose superb victory in the UAE Derby fuelled Godolphin dreams of a Kentucky Derby triumph, has had to be put down.

The colt spreadeagled his opponents at Nad Al Sheba, but later picked up a low-grade respiratory condition that halted his training schedule, and he did not run in the US classic.

A statement on www.godolphin.com said: “Godolphin is sorry to announce that its UAE Derby winner Blues And Royals has had to be humanely euthanised.

"The three-year-old colt developed colitis, his condition deteriorated last week and nothing could be done to save him.

“Blues And Royals won the UAE Derby on March 26 by an impressive 12 lengths on his first start on a dirt surface.”

The three-year-old son of Honour And Glory raced only four times, winning once as a juvenile on his debut at York, and his performance in Dubai was easily his best.

He went into the UAE Derby on Dubai World Cup night as second string behind Shamardal, but emerged as a high-class performer in his own right.