JUST shows you, the fragility of racehorses. Fayonagh was just doing a routine canter on Wednesday morning with Davy Russell, she wasn’t even doing a full piece of work, when she suffered that fatal injury.

It’s desperate for everyone involved. For Davy Russell, who was riding her at the time and who rode her to win her maiden hurdle, for Jamie Codd, who rode her to those bumper wins at Fairyhouse and Cheltenham and Punchestown last spring, for the Gittins family, who owned her and raced her and who were undoubtedly and justifiably looking forward to an exciting season ahead with her.

And it’s desperate for Gordon Elliott and his staff, who trained her to win her last three bumpers and her maiden hurdle. It’s not just the loss of a potentially top class equine athlete, that potential unfulfilled that leaves a gaping hole, but there’s also the loss of a friend for the trainer and his team. No head looking out over the half-door at you in the morning.

You have to feel for Gordon Elliott, it is the second high-profile horse that the trainer has lost this month. Chris Jones’ horse Mega Fortune suffered a fatal fall at the second last flight on his seasonal debut at Limerick just three weeks ago.

Fayonagh was only six years old, Mega Fortune was just four. Both horses had the potential to be top-class.

“She’s gone, but we won’t forget her,” said Gordon Elliott on At The Races.

It would tame lions this game.