Burnstone (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), winner of the male division of the Listed Blue Diamond Preview Jan. 26 and a leading hope for the G1 Blue Diamond S. Feb. 28, died of a suspected heart attack during trackwork at Cranbourne Tuesday. The 2-year-old was being prepared for the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude Feb. 14, and trainer Robbie Griffiths told Racing and Sports his ownership group had declined an A$1.8 million overseas offer for the colt the previous evening.
“We declined an offer at 10 p.m. last night of A$1.8 million as the owners didn't want to sell the dream, but were open to selling a quarter share,” he said. “Our next discussion was going to be increasing his insurance from A$40,000 after we'd just knocked back the 1.8.”
Burnstone, a son of the Encosta de Lago (Aus) mare Merlene de Lago (Aus), was an A$40,000 purchase from last year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Griffiths added, “He did a bit of evens on Tuesday morning and at five this morning I would have told you he was 110%, and 15 minutes later he's had a [suspected] heart attack. He's gone off to Werribee [equine center] for an autopsy but I don't know how long it will take them before they get the results back.”
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