Hugely talented Justify colt Ruling Court has been a headline horse since May last year when Godolphin paid €2.3million for him at the Arqana Breeze Up Sale and he is back in the headlines overnight with the tragic news of his euthanasia due to laminitis.
Trained by Charlie Appleby, Ruling Court was a brilliant winner of the Group I Newmarket 2,000 Guineas this year when he was part of a history-making weekend for Godolphin, who won both classic races in the UK as well as the Kentucky Derby and Oaks.
He was never out of the frame in all six of his starts and was last seen finishing third to Delacroix in the Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes in early July.
His trainer Charlie Appleby said, "Everyone at Godolphin is deeply saddened by the loss of Ruling Court. He gave everyone a fantastic day at Newmarket in May and he will be sorely missed. I would like to thank all of the team, who did everything they could to save him."