Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien’s week at Royal Ascot ended sadly on Saturday when Canute suffered a fatal injury.
O’Brien finished the five days as the leading trainer at the meeting for the 12th time with four wins and seven second places.
But his final runner of the fixture was unable to finish the race as Canute broke a hind leg during the Golden Gates Stakes.
Canute started the 9-2 co-favourite for the 1m2f handicap but had to be pulled up by Ryan Moore at halfway when he suffered the injury.
According to the steward's notice, Moore had sensed something wrong with Canute and had already started to ease his mount out of the race, resulting in three horses suffering minor interference.
The three-year-old, who had won once in five races, was attended by vets on the track but the horse could not be saved.
O’Brien had a winless final day but was already assured top trainer honours. He picked out the St James’s Palace Stakes victory of Paddington as his highlight which also helped Moore, who won the last race on Dawn Rising for O'Brien's son Joseph, finish as leading jockey with six wins
O’Brien said: "The team make it all happen for us all. We are really appreciate it, it's great to be a part of it. I suppose it is very hard to get away from Paddington [as his highlight]. We had plenty of placed horses too.
"Ryan is a superstar, that's the word that describes him best."
