Farewell to Synchronised

Well, the Grand National has come and gone for another year, but unfortunately, I, along with many others, am feeling incredibly upset after it. No, not because I didn’t back the winner, Neptune Collonges, but it has been announced that the winner of the 2012 Gold Cup, Synchronised, has had to be put down after falling at Aintree.

Just a month ago, the horse was romping up the Cheltenham Hill to victory in the Gold Cup with A.P McCoy on board. Sadly, it has all now come to an end for a truly incredible race horse.

There was high hopes for the Jonjo O’Neill trained stayer heading into one of the most eagerly anticipated Grand Nationals in some time. Having been favourite for much of the build-up, Synchronised went off a 10/1 shot with the bookmakers. However, not before he had decided to unseat McCoy before the start of the race.

Perhaps Synchronised knew something. Perhaps the horse just didn’t want to jump those simply enormous National fences.

Unfortunately, the horse ran and at just the 6th fence, came to grief. Beechers Brook, a fence which year on year seems to put pay to so many horses chances, proved to be too much for Synchronised. Although he jumped it ok, the landing was awkward and in the end proved fatal.

During his career, Synchronised won 9 races, amassing over £500,000 in prize money for his owner, JP McManus. He was a horse who simply never gave up and showed his incredible ability when staying on so well at Cheltenham back in March.

So, we say farewell to a horse which has won the hearts of many a racing fan. A true fighter who had so much still to give in National Hunt racing.

We must not forget that another horse was also killed in the race. According To Pete sadly also didn’t make it and our commiserations go to the horses’s connections.