Group 1-winning racehorse Fayr Jag suffered a fatal injury in a starting stalls accident before the start of the 3.10pm race at Pontefract racecourse yesterday (Monday 21 April).
The nine-year-old gelding was blindfolded and being led into the stalls when he suddenly tried to back out, before lunging violently forwards. He crashed into the iron bars of the stalls breaking his shoulder.
His jockey, David Allan, was thrown over his head into the stalls but was unhurt.
The Tim Easterby-trained Fayr Jag won 11 races in a career that included two Group 3 wins and a career highlight Group 1 success in the 2004 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.