Fair Along Dies of Colic

[BillyHills]

Tragic news tonight that Fair Along has died of colic, as some will know he was one of my favourite horses and while i know these things happen and we have to accept it, this terrific horse just didnt deserve this. Lots of great memories, RIP.

FAIR ALONG, who excelled at all disciplines, winning well over £400,000 in prize-money for owner Alan Peterson and trainer Philip Hobbs, has died of colic at the age of 11. The gelding, who was last seen finishing 14th in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival on his 67th start, having recorded his 16th victory at Newbury in November, contracted the illness on Monday and died at Langford Veterinary Services near Bristol. Fair Along won at Grade 2 level five times but his most memorable performances were in defeat, runs which included a second in the 2006 Triumph Hurdle, filling the same place in the 2007 Arkle and third in the 2008 Champion Chase. On the Flat he was runner-up in the 2007 Chester Cup and third in the Cesarewitch the same year. Hobbs said: "He went up to Langford because of colic and unfortunately ended up dying there. Usually these things right themselves but unfortunately in this case it didn't. The whole yard is desperately upset. He was such a star. "He has been an amazing horse to be so adaptable over all sorts of distances, hurdles and fences, and Flat as well, being placed in a Triumph Hurdle, a Cesarewitch, an Arkle, a Champion Chase and a Chester Cup. He probably just missed out on winning a really big race on several occasions."

My latest photo of Fair Along that i took at Cheltenham just last month;

[Bathtime For Rupert]

Re: Fair Along Dies of Colic Cracking horse. Big heart. RIP fella.