The death of Dorans Pride, one of Ireland's favourite national hunt horses, cast a shadow over the final day of the Cheltenham Festival today.
Trained by Michael Hourigan, Dorans Pride fell at the second fence in the Christie's Foxhunter Chase and was put down after breaking a hind leg.
Dorans Pride, a 14-year-old, won 27 of his 62 races under National Hunt Rules and nearly £633,000 in prizemoney, and his successes included the Stayers Hurdle at the 1995 Cheltenham Festival.
Hourigan, who reported that Beef Or Salmon was "fine" following his fall in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup, said of Dorans Pride: "He had one of his greatest moments here when he won the Stayers Hurdle. If he had died in a point-to-point you would have forever been wondering `why did I run him'.
"When we tried to retire him the old fellow used to be at the gate watching us come in every day. He has been a wonderful servant and given us some great times.
"Unfortunately he had to die some time. I'm not a hard man and I'll really miss the horse. It's a great shame, but if it was to happen anywhere then Cheltenham is better than anywhere."
Old California had become the first casualty of the meeting when breaking a leg in his fall at the third last flight in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.