Racing: Applejack put down

RIVER HOUSE won the Arthur Stephenson Memorial Handicap Chase for the late trainer's nephew, Peter Cheesbrough, at Newcastle on Saturday, but many racegoers will remember the contest more for the death of popular chaser Old Applejack.

The gelding broke a hind leg on landing three out and had to be destroyed. Old Applejack won 14 races, eight of them at Newcastle, and was close to retirement. 'He was only going to have one more run,' his trainer, Howard Johnson, said. 'He has been a great servant and he will be sadly missed. '

At Lingfield, Deerness Spook was destroyed after smashing a front leg on landing, while in Ireland, at Navan, Classical Charm broke a shoulder and was also put down. The 10-year-old was runner-up to Celtic Shot in the 1988 Champion Hurdle.