By Daithi Harvey
Nichols Canyon (GB) (Authorized {Ire}), a stakes winner on the flat for John Gosden and an eight-time Grade 1 winner over hurdles for Willie Mullins and Graham and Andrea Wylie took an ultimately fatal fall at Leopardstown on Thursday. The 7-year-old, who was the only horse to have beaten the brilliant Faugheen (Ire) (Germany), fell at the fifth hurdle in the G1 Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle and fractured his humerus leaving vets no option but to put him down. The race was eventually won by the Gordon Elliott trained Apple's Jade (Fr) (Saddler Maker {Fr}) who was registering her seventh Grade 1 victory over hurdles. Paying tribute to Nichols Canyon, who won the G1 Sun Bets Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, Willie Mullins' son and assistant Patrick Mullins said, “He was only small, but he had a heart as tough as a rock. He always gave it his all and he had a fabulous career, the peak of which was at Cheltenham this year. He will be terribly hard to replace.” In all Nichol's Canyon won 12 of his 30 starts for prize-money of £706,551. On a tough day for the sport for both human and equine participants veteran trainer Andy Lynch had the misfortune to lose his Grade 1 winner Zabana (Ire) (Halling) following his fall under Davy Russell in the G1 Leopardstown Christmas Chase. It was another cruel blow for owner Chris Jones who also lost the Grade 1 winner Mega Fortune (Fr) (Soldier Of Fortune {Ire}) in October.
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