Jair is killed in racing tragedy

Racing lurched from scandal to heartbreak today when the leading Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Jair Du Cochet was put down after suffering a tragic injury on the gallops.

The Guillaume Macairetrained seven-year-old beat dual Gold Cup winner Best Mate at Huntingdon in November and cemented his big-race claims with success in the Pillar Chase at Cheltenham in January.

He had been clear second-favourite for next week's blue-riband event.

Jair Du Cochet had been completing his preparations for the Festival on the home gallops when the tragedy occurred. British vet Buffy Shirley-Beavan was at the Macaire yard and explained what happened.

"He did a sparkling piece of work this morning as part of his final preparations for the Gold Cup, but unfortunately he pulled up lame with a very bad fracture to his off-hind cannon-bone, which sadly could not be repaired," she said.

"Mr Macaire is very upset and it is the worst possible timing. The horse looked well and did a brilliant piece of work and it's hard to explain why it should happen."

Terry Biddlecombe, husband of Best Mate's trainer Henrietta Knight, said: "It's very sad news for everyone concerned. He was a lovely horse.

"It's awful for a horse to die at work. It's a very sad occasion."

Of Best Mate, he said: "We are very happy with him. He's doing everything we want. He's had his loose school and he'll jump fences maybe this week.