Trainer Mick Easterby fears poachers spooked favourite horse Blue Spinnaker to his death

mirror.co.uk:

Mick Easterby is mourning the loss of his favourite horse Blue Spinnaker after he died following an incident overnight. The North Yorkshire trainer fears poachers spooked the 21-year-old and he was seriously injured while fleeing his field.

Easterby reported that the retired Thirsk Hunt Cup and Zetland Gold Cup winner had to be put down after he collided with a gate, while he escaped with a herd of young horses he was looking after.

They were found on a road near Mill House Farm, Bulmer, this morning. Easterby wiped away tears as he told how much his veteran ex-racer meant to him in a video on social media: "My old horse Blue Spinnaker broke his leg, (we) had to put him down. "What a shame, he was 21-years-old, poor old lad.