JUST before last weekend, John and William Flood in Boardsmill Stud made the announcement that their son of Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer), Court Cave, had died suddenly at the age of 23. He had been standing at Boardsmill since 2004.

Amongst his many stakes winners were Cheltenham Festival Grade 1 winners Willoughby Court and City Island, both of whom won the Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle, and the multiple graded winners Court Minstrel, successful in the Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle, and Champion Court, winner of four Grade 2 races over hurdles and fences. His most recent high-profile winners included Grade 2 Lightening Novices’ Chase winner JPR One, the Kerry National winner Desertmore House, and Paddy Power Chase winner Meetingofthewaters.