Our Duke Died Half An Hour After I Rode Him Out

I rode Our Duke this morning.

It was just a routine canter. He didn’t feel great but I just put it down to coming to the end of the season.

He died from a heart attack in the stable half an hour after riding out. It was a massive shock.

It’s truly devastating for everybody in Jessica Harrington’s yard, he was a stable star there. It’s especially devastating for the Cooper family and Tracy Piggott who rode him out every day.

He was one of the best I’ve ever ridden.

The performance he put in to win the 2017 BoyleSports Irish Grand National will live long in my memory. It’s one of the best feels I’ve got off any horse I’ve ever ridden.

We definitely didn’t see his true run in Cheltenham with the softer ground there so it’s a case of what could have been for Our Duke. He has certainly left a lasting impression and memories we’ll always have to look back on.