Hidden Law dies just moments after victory in Chester Vase, with the highly-rated horse suffering a fatal broken leg following ‘freak accident’ as tributes pour in
- The three-year-old was in excellent form and had won his race in Chester
- However, the horse took a wrong step, landed awkwardly and broke its foot
- Trainer Charlie Appleby, who had flown in, was visibly shaken by the event
The opening of Chester’s historic May meeting was marred on Wednesday when brilliant colt Hidden Law was fatally injured in front of stunned racegoers.
Hidden Law was owned by Godolphin, Sheikh Mohammed’s operation, trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick. The trio had enjoyed exceptional success at Newmarket last Saturday when Notable Speech won the QIPCO 2000 Guineas.
Appleby’s horses are in excellent form and Hidden Law had initially thrilled the spectators with a sweeping foot movement that took him to a three-and-a-half length victory in the Boodle’s Chester Vase. It was a performance that had pushed the three-year-old, who only rode for the first time in March, firmly into the reckoning for the Epsom Derby.
But immediately after passing the winning post, Hidden Law took a wrong step as he navigated an intersection where cars could leave the course. He landed awkwardly and suffered a fracture to his right front leg; he was immediately attended to by racecourse vets but could not be saved.
The incident, which immediately changed the atmosphere, was broadcast live on ITV4. It was a sickening situation for Appleby, who had flown in from his base in Newmarket for the race. He was visibly shaken by what had happened.
Three-year-old Hidden Law died shortly after taking victory in the Chester Vase on Wednesday
The horse also took a wrong step after the race and could not be saved despite immediate attention being paid to it
The horse’s trainer, Charlie Appleby (pictured), was visibly shaken by what had happened
“We can only continue with what we had seen and dream of what he could have been in the future,” Appleby said. ‘It’s very disappointing. Most importantly, I am deeply sorry to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Team Godolphin. What can I say? It’s one of those unfortunate, freak accidents.
‘The fact that a horse like him could potentially come through the ranks was very exciting for everyone. It’s a sad day. I have to thank everyone at Chester, they have been so accommodating in their dealings and with what they have done. I am sorry to his groom, Wayne, and all the staff at Moulton Paddocks.”
A frequently asked question in these situations is why a broken leg means a horse needs to be euthanized. Champion trainer John Gosden, who saddled Pappano in the Chester Vase, provided important insight into the situation.
“They’re not very tolerant,” he said on ITV 4. “Someone with a broken leg will lie in bed with their leg straight for a while. Horses don’t like that, they don’t like being confined. They like to run free, if you like, in large fields and paddocks. They are not good patients.
‘Because athletes are so fit that they suddenly become inactive, that can cause problems in other legs with laminitis, which is a whole different problem. The track is in absolutely pristine, perfect condition, so it has nothing to do with the surface. It doesn’t happen often, but it can happen.’