River Proud dies in Prince d'Orange

Mrs. Michael Spencer's RIVER PROUD (Proud Citizen) collapsed

and died after attempting to wire the field in Saturday's Prix du Prince

d'Orange (Fr-G3) at Longchamp.

Leading at a solid pace from flag fall, the sophomore

appeared to falter along the rail when still in front halfway up the straight

and never recovered after collapsing in front of the stands.

"The vet told me

that his aorta valve burst and it's so tragic as he was a really great horse,"

trainer Paul Cole told Racing Post.

"Coming out of

the last turn he lost his action and I knew something was wrong," jockey Olivier Peslier

added. "He began

wandering before I realized exactly what had happened."

River Proud recorded a five-length debut score at Newbury in June last

year and the highlight of his juvenile campaign came with victory in the Somerville Tattersall S.

(Eng-G3) at Newmarket in October. Fourth in his seasonal return in

the April 17 Craven S. (Eng-G3) back at Newmarket, he became upset at the gate in the

May 11 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) (Fr-G1) at Longchamp and

registered a career high in that event when finishing third after being reloaded

in a disadvantageous wide box. The bay regained the winning thread in the Thoroughbred S. at Goodwood and ran second to Russian Cross (Cape Cross

[Ire]) in the August 23 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano (Fr-G2) at Deauville last out.

River Proud won three of his 10 starts and garnered earnings of

£140,678.