Furtado to train Chapecoense in memory of team's tragedy

A two-year-old daughter of Sir Percy has been named Chapecoense after the Brazilian football club that lost all but three of its squad in a plane crash that killed 71 people in November.

The filly is trained by Nottinghamshire-based Ivan Furtado, who grew up in the same state of Santa Catarina as the club's base in Chapeco.

Chapecoense carries the colours of owner Richard Ward, whose Blue Grey Chevron syndicate have a number of football-related horses in training with Furtado and Roger Fell.

"This filly was actually earmarked for Leicester City – however, after the fatal crash Ivan asked if we could honour his home football team and of course there was no hesitation," said Ward.

Furtado is hopeful that Chapecoense will more than honour the memory of the team, who were en route to the Colombian city of Medellin for the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final when their plane went down on November 28. All but six people on board were killed.

Furtado said: "She is nice filly with a good page. I think she will do very well, that’s why we have decided to call her Chapecoense, in honour of my local football team back home in Brazil.

"The sire is Derby-winning Sir Percy and her Dam is Purest, who has a good pedigree and is related to a lot of winners. She has quickly become one of the favourites in the yard, the lads have nicknamed her Sally."

Silks are available to sponsor at £500 for the central chest panel and £250 for the jockey collar, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to the Chapacoense Football Club Emergency Fund.

For more information contact Ward on 07432 055232 or email richard@bluegreychevronracing.co.uk.