Royal racehorse put down after breaking leg during first run at Ascot

THE Queen’s horse had to be put down at Royal Ascot yesterday after breaking a leg in a horror fall.

Fancied royal runner Guy Fawkes stumbled near the back of the field early on in the last race of the day.

The heavily backed 12/1 shot had been going strong and tried to get back up but then tumbled again.

Vets battled in vain to save the three-year-old gelding who was running for the first time at the famous week-long meeting.

The tragedy came at the end of a jubilant Ladies Day after patriotic punters roared on the Three Lions in their Euro 2016 home nations win over Wales.

Trainer William Haggas said: “Sadly he had a compound fracture of the right foot, so he’s been put to sleep.

“Fortunately, the jockey’s fine. Pat Smullen said that they were going fast.

“He stumbled, tried to get back up but made a false step.”

An Ascot spokesman said: “Sadly Guy Fawkes suffered a right fore cannon bone fracture and was humanely euthanized.”

It came a year to the day that another of one of the Queen’s horses Capel Path suffered a career-ending injury at the Berkshire racecourse.

Her Majesty – wearing an orange hat and blue jacket – had arrived at Ascot at exactly the same time as the Three Lions kicked off in France.

The match was believed to have been on the Royal Box.

Thousands of boozy fans turned their back on the horses to pack into bars –including two in the Royal Enclosure – where the match was shown on giant screens.

Beers were thrown in the air and they screamed in delight as Daniel Sturridge scored an injury time winner waving a The Sun branded St George’s Cross.

Some fans chanted “Jamie Vardy’s having a party” after his equaliser.

But it had been despair earlier in the afternoon as Gareth Bale appeared he was going to break England hearts by putting the Welsh 1-0 up.

Extra police and security had been stepped as cops feared rowdy Three Lions fans among the 65,000 punters might kick-off

A number of arrests were made including a 21-year-old man for drunk and disorderly, a man, 36, for threatening and behaviour and a 23-year-old for assault.

Ecstatic footy supporters then carried on boozing as they watched the feature Gold Cup race won by the aptly named favourite Order of St George.

A source said: “The game attracted a lot of attention and we had to keep an eye on it.
“After the fan violence at the Euros, terror fears and trouble at Cheltenham and Epsom we had to be on our guard.

“Some of the toff Ascot regulars weren’t too happy the game was on.

“There were a lot of sozzled Three Lions fans.

Ascot spokesman Nick Smith said: “The racing and the football went in tandem.

“There was absolutely no reason why they couldn’t interlink.”

Two years ago killjoy racecourse bosses said they wouldn’t stay open so punters could watch England take on Uruguay in the World Cup in Brazil.

Pubs in Ascot supported by Thames Valley Police also refused to show it for fear of trouble.

David Williams, from Ladbrokes, said punters focusing on the football hit race betting hard.

He said: “The big match knocked everything else into a cocked hat and was the biggest single match for bookies since England played in the 2014 World Cup.

As the match neared its end, punters quickly flicked over to the Ascot Gold Cup. In the space of two crazy hours over £40 million was bet.”

He added: “Sturridge’s last gasp winner and Order Of St George’s Gold Cup win handed punters their happiest hour of the week.

“As the rest of the country celebrated, bookies were keeping their heads down.

“Aside from the football and the Gold Cup we’ve enjoyed a pretty decent day.
Reading chairman Sir John Madejski said: “I will have an eye on the football.

“Lets hope we get the right result.”

Telly’s Nick Knowles said: “Everyone seems to be making us favourites so I’m a bit worried.

Pals Tracey Hayes, 53 and Pauline Hammond, 52, nearly didn’t get in wearing their matching, homemade Union Jack dresses.

The pair from Eastbourne, East Sussex, were stopped for five minutes on the gate while bosses checked if they fitted in with strict dress codes.

Pauline said: “They are for The Queen but also the football.”

But friends Hetty Kelly, 26, and 18-year-old Emma Smith had no problems getting through the gates wearing rival football emblem hats.

They were raising awareness for the British Polio Fellowship.