Aidan O’Brien’s Oaks treble winner
Snowfall has been put down following a serious pelvic injury.
The news comes as a devastating blow to
Ballydoyle and the sport as a whole, with the superstar four-year-old having
made a remarkable impact during her two seasons on the flat.
The daughter of Deep Impact got off the
mark at the Curragh in July 2020 and was back there 13 months later to record a
dominant victory in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks – the filling in an incredible
Oaks sandwich.
Snowfall won the Cazoo Oaks by a record-breaking 16 lengths
with Frankie Dettori on board at Epsom while Ryan Moore was back in the saddle
for her success in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks in August.
The filly’s final appearance came in the
Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot in October and
O’Brien is now mourning a ‘massive loss’.
"We are very sorry to report that
our wonderful filly Snowfall sustained a serious injury a few weeks ago,” he
said.
"Despite the best care and attention
from our veterinary team and from our team in here in Ballydoyle her condition
seriously deteriorated a couple of days ago and we were left with no choice but
to take the heartbreaking decision to have her put to sleep.
"She damaged her pelvis. She was fed
at lunchtime by one of the lads and when he went back to her an hour later she
was lame in the box.
“Our vet John Halley thinks that she did
the splits in the box and injured her pelvis, but obviously we don't know
exactly how it happened.
"We did everything we could for her
but it wasn't to be. She is a massive loss to everyone here, from a racing and
breeding perspective – she was such a high-class mare."