FRANK Berry has paid tribute to four-time Grade 1 winner Carlingford Lough who collapsed and died following the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Leopardstown.

The John Kiely-trained 12-year-old is believed to have died of a heart attack when being pulled up after the valuable three-mile handicap.

“He was a star for us,” said Berry, racing manager to McManus. “He turned up on a lot of big days. He loved Leopardstown, and it’s just sad to lose him, but he didn’t have any pain. He never let us down.”

“John Kiely did a marvellous job with him over the years. Credit to John who looked after him very well.”

Carlingford Lough’s first big success came in the Galway Plate – which he won as as a maiden over fences in 2013. He went on to even greater triumphs in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in 2015 and 2016, as well as taking Punchestown’s Champion Novice Chase in 2014 and their Gold Cup in 2016.

Bred by the late Joerg Vasicek and his wife Diana at Kenilworth House Stud in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, the son of King’s Theatre was closely related to multiple winners Thisthatandtother and The Tother One. He was acquired by McManus as a foal for €80,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale. He won 10 of his 38 starts, and amassed €686,000 in prize money.

A second Grade 1 winning chaser died at Leopardstown yesterday when Disko took a fatal fall in the closing stages of the Savills Chase. Trained by Noel Meade for Gigginstown House Stud, The French-bred seven-year-old won two Grade 1s as a novice chaser last year but missed over a year through injury after winning a Grade 2 chase at Down Royal 13 months ago.