The Lion In Winter, who was at one point favourite for last year’s Epsom Derby, was euthanised on Wednesday after sustaining a fracture on the gallops.
The four-year-old was set to line up in the Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday. He has reverted to 1m distances last season after failing to stay at Epsom. His best effort came at Ascot on champions Day when finishing second to 100/1 outsider Cicero’s Gift in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien told the Racing Post: “He got a fracture and, unfortunately, we just weren’t able to save him. He was obviously a very good two-year-old and it’s a pity he never really got to fulfil that early potential. On his day he was very talented.’’
Highly touted juvenile who never quite cracked top level
The Lion In Winter was a highly touted two -year-old after winning both his starts as a juvenile. The Sea The Stars colt was an emphatic winner of the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at the Dante meeting in August. The subsequent Royal Lodge winner was in second, and the subsequent 2000 Guineas winner was in third.
His three-year-old season began disappointingly after finishing sixth in the Dante Stakes and well-beaten in the Derby. However, he was back on track when a staying on third in the Prix Jean Prat. After finishing last in the Prix Jacques Le Marois, he again bounced back to be a close third in the Prix du Moulin.
He eventually found consistency, as he backed that effort up with a length second to Cicero’s Gift on Champions Day. The Lion In Winter then reversed the form with the Moulin winner as he was third to Notable Speech in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Then, though, he was only 12th in the Hong Kong Mile, despite only being beaten five lengths.
The Lion In Winter belatedly returned to the winner’s enclosure this season in the Listed Heritage Stakes. He bettered that effort when fifth in the Group 1 Lockinge, which sadly, was his last racecourse start.
Paddy Twomey bought his full sister, a Bay Filly, at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 1) last year for 425,000 GNS, so hopefully we can see her replicate her brother’s success on track.