JP McManus won the Paddy Power Chase with Auvergnat but the victory was tinged with sadness as the owner’s veteran star Carlingford Lough collapsed and died after the race.
The five-time Grade One winner, trained by John Kiely, finished 12th in the race and suffered a suspected heart attack after the being pulled up by Barry Geraghty.
Carlingford Lough won three top-flight races at Leopardstown including back to back renewals of the Irish Gold Cup in 2015 and 2016.
“It’s sad but he died doing what he loved. He ran on well after hunting his way through the race as he normally would. But he just took a wobble after the line and rolled over. He’s a big loss to John Kiely and his yard,” Geraghty said.
Among Carlingford Lough 10 career victories was also a memorable 2013 Galway Plate success under Tony McCoy.
