Group 1-winning stayer Scope put down after suffering gallops injury

Three days on from experiencing Classic glory with Westover in the Irish Derby, Ralph Beckett and his team have suffered the loss of Group 1 winner Scope after he was fatally injured on the gallops at Kimpton Down on Tuesday.

Scope's owner-breeder Julian Richmond-Watson described his sadness at the death of "a really good horse that we've all learned to cherish".

Writing on his website, Beckett said: "Scope was put down this morning after fracturing his right-hind cannon bone and pastern, whilst at routine exercise.

"Having trained him, his entire family, and won a Group 1 with him last autumn, he meant a great deal to us and we will miss him sorely."

Scope was a breakthrough Group 1 winner for jockey Rob Hornby when winning the Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp last October on his first try at a shade under two miles. Off the back of an excellent comeback run at Newbury in May he was a single-figure price for this season's Gold Cup before being ruled out by the prospect of quick ground at Ascot.

"We were all getting ready for an autumn campaign or when the ground came right and he was absolutely fine and then comes one accident on the gallops," said Richmond-Watson.

Scope was bred by Richmond-Watson and his dam, Look So, is a half-sister to Look Here, who won the Oaks for both owner and trainer at Epsom in 2008 before finishing third to Conduit in the St Leger.

"It's a big loss but we all have to get used to it when you're in racing," he added. "It's terribly sad when you lose a really good horse that we've all learned to cherish.

"The Royal-Oak was a great day to look back at and we were all there. To win a Group 1 with a homebred when you've got a small stud is always terribly exciting. We reflect on today but look back on the good memories."

In addition to his success in the Royal-Oak, Scope won the Listed Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot by seven and a half lengths and was third in the Lingfield Derby Trial, with career earnings in excess of £288,000.

Read this next:

Tributes paid as 'fantastic' dual Champion Hurdle star Buveur D'Air is retired

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.