Paul Nicholls left devastated by death of promising young horse at Sandown

11 December 2023 , 12:14

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Paul Nicholls: lost one of his best young chasers to a fatal injury (Image: PA)

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has spoken of the devastation felt by the death of one of his most promising young chasers.

The stable had high hopes for the five-year-old Iceo who had won four times and captured the Imperial Cup at Sandown in March.

He switched to fences this season, winning first time out at Newton Abbot and was sent off a 7-2 chance to win the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase on Saturday.

He was holding fourth place in the six runner field when he broke down and was quickly pulled up with a fatal injury by jockey Lorcan Williams before the second of the Railway Fences, with five fences still to jump.

Williams later posted a tribute to Iceo on his social media account. “A horse very close to my heart, ill miss him very much. Thanks Ice cube,” he said.

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Iceo’s death overshadowed an otherwise successful weekend for 14-time champion jumps trainer Nicholls who sent out five winners over Friday and Saturday including Stay Away Fay in a Grade 2 3m novices chase and Truckers Lodge in the London National, both at Sandown.

Reflecting on the weekend in his Ditcheat Diary for Betfair, Nicholls said: “We had an amazing weekend, five winners Friday and Saturday but the fatal injury to Iceo put a dampener on everything.

“Obviously we all feel for Chris and Deborah Giles. It's very sad when that sort of thing happens and everbody in the yard, Tasha who looked after him are obviously devastated.

The race was won by Le Pation, trained by Gary Moore, who gave jockey David Noonan a first success at the highest level.

Jon Lees