'It’s a pity he never really got to fulfil that early potential' - The Lion In Winter sustains fatal injury on gallops

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The Lion In Winter has died after sustaining a fracture on the gallops at Ballydoyle.

The four-year-old colt was last seen finishing fifth in the Lockinge Stakes last month and was being aimed at the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

Aidan O'Brien said: "He got a fracture and, unfortunately, we just weren’t able to save him. He was obviously a very good two-year-old and it’s a pity he never really got to fulfil that early potential. On his day he was very talented.’’ 

The Lion In Winter won both his starts at two, including the Group 3 Acomb Stakes, and was once considered the best of last year's three-year-old crop. He was sent off the 8-11 favourite for the Dante Stakes on his three-year-old reappearance but could only finish sixth behind Pride Of Arras.  

At one time he was favourite for the Derby and while he could only finish 14th behind stablemate Lambourn at Epsom, he went some way to repairing his reputation when dropped in trip, finishing placed in the Prix Jean Prat, Prix du Moulin, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Breeders' Cup Mile. He finished 12th in the Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin in December on his final outing last year.

The Lion In Winter: won the 2024 Acomb StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

There was hope he could improve as a four-year-old and he returned with a smooth victory in the Listed Heritage Stakes when 10-11 favourite at Leopardstown in April, although he struggled to build on that effort behind Notable Speech on what proved his final start at Newbury.

The son of Sea The Stars won three of his 12 races and earned more than £640,000 in prize-money for his Coolmore owners Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and John Magnier.

Read more:

Aidan O'Brien takes two out of Prix de Diane but his unbeaten favourite remains as likely field revealed 

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