Erichsen distraught after stable star dies following surgery

Norwegian trainer Cathrine Erichsen was yesterday struggling to come to terms with losing stable star and recent Ascot winner Easy Road after what was meant to be routine surgery.

The six-year-old, who won the Listed Rous Stakes at the start of the month, underwent an operation to have a chip removed from a front leg but had to be put down on Thursday after suffering another injury.

A distraught Erichsen said: "He was put down yesterday. He was in for more or less a routine surgery last Friday. We had done a vet's check after he finished the season and it was nearly by coincidence they found a minor bone chip in one of his front knees.