Godolphin announce shock death of this year's 2,000 Guineas winner Ruling Court

Racing has been left stunned by the news of the shock death of this year’s 2,000 Guineas winner Ruling Court.

The son of Justify who cost Godolphin £2 million when he was bought as a two-year-old at the Arqana May Breeze-up sale last year had lived up to his price tag with the promise of a stud career to follow. He won his first race at Sandown in July last year and finished third behind The Lion In Winter in York’s Acomb Stakes on his two two-year-old starts.

He began his three-year-old campaign with trainer Charlie Appleby’s string in Dubai and announced himself as a major British Classic contender by winning the Jumeirah 2,000 Guineas by six lengths at Meydan in March.

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Next time out Ruling Court lined up in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket where he defeated Field Of Gold, who went on to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, by half a length.

He was due to contest the Derby but was pulled out on the day of the race due to concerns about the going.

He ran well below form when finishing more than seven lengths behind Field Of Gold at Royal Ascot, but was unlucky in running when third behind Delacroix and Ombudsman in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes.

Last week Appleby told Mirror Racing that Ruling Court had been given a break. “I’m giving him no targets at the moment,” said the trainer. “A combination of the Guineas, prepping for a Derby - he didn’t run in the Derby - Ascot and Sandown took its toll.”

However on Friday Godolphin broke the news that Ruling Court had been humanely put down. He is the second Godolphin 2,000 Guineas winner in three years not to complete his three-year-old campaign. In 2022 Coroebus, who also won the St James's Palace Stakes, suffered a fatal injury when running in the Prix du Moulin.

A statement said: “The impressive winner of this year's G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket has sadly been euthanised following complications due to laminitis.

“His Classic win was part of a history-making weekend for Godolphin and he was never out of the frame in all six of his starts.”

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."