‘A special, special horse’: crowd-favourite to be laid to rest alongside other top racehorses

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30 Jul 2025 15:34

Horse And Hound

Hollie Doyle on Trueshan before the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes in 2022.

Crowd-favourite and stalwart of the Flat racing stayers’ division, Trueshan, has been put down after picking up a serious injury in the Goodwood Cup on 29 July.

The nine-year-old, who was purchased for 31,000gns at the Tattersalls Breeze-Up sale in 2018, was trained by Alan King, owned by the Singula Partnership, and earnt more than £2m in prize money over his 35 career starts.

“He was a very tough horse, and a very sound horse,” Alan King said to ITV Racing. “He didn’t miss a day of exercise at home really and we were careful not to run him on quick ground as he didn’t perform on it. He was a kind horse too.”

Trueshan, who was mostly ridden by Hollie Doyle during his career, notched up some impressive results, including winning the 2021 Goodwood Cup, 2022 Northumberland Plate and the Prix du Cadran in 2021 and 2023.

“When he won the Goodwood Cup, which was my first Group One in England, it was very special but he was a wonderful racehorse,” said Alan, who trains at Barbury in Wiltshire.

“He’s coming back to Barbury. We have a graveyard here so he’s going to be with Viking Flagship, Balder Succes and Katchit, which is where he should be.”

Hollie, who partnered Trueshan on 23 of his starts and with whom she had a wonderful relationship, called him a “special, special horse” while speaking to the PA news agency.

“I’m just devastated,” said Hollie. “He’s been amazing for me, a star, and those memories we have together are some of my very best.”

The BHA’s director of equine health and welfare James Given said to ITV Racing: “What has happened, unfortunately, is an accident mid-race in a straight line going up the hill. His left-hind pastern broke, which left him in a situation that wasn’t recoverable from. Alan was able to get down there and assess him with the vets and they felt there was no option really but to put him down.”