BHA mourns tragic loss of leading owner with a 'passion for horses'

BHA chief executive Nick Rust underlined the devastating sense of loss caused by Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's death as he described it as a 'tragedy' for racing.

The Leicester City chairman, who was killed along with four others in a helicopter crash on Saturday evening, is best known for his connections to football.

Leicester City chairman and leading owner dies in helicopter crash

But he had become an increasingly important racehorse owner in the last two years, operating under the King Power Racing banner.

Rust said: "The death of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha is a tragedy for the world of sport and horseracing. His enthusiasm for racing was clear and I am sure that we had only seen the beginnings of what would have been a tremendous love affair.

"King Power Racing has 67 horses in training with seven different trainers – that is a tremendous investment and Vichai's passion for horses has helped support the livelihoods of many people working within our industry.

"Our thoughts go to his friends and family and those within racing who shared and enjoyed his love of the sport, and also to the loved ones of all of those who perished in this tragic accident."

Three-time Group 2 winner Beat The Bank is probably the best horse to have run for Srivaddhanaprabha, whose Morando dead-heated for first place in the St Simon Stakes at Newbury just hours before the owner's death on Saturday.

Both are with the owner's main trainer Andrew Balding, whose pupil assistant Hollie Watts paid tribute to him.

"Whenever Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha came to the yard he would visit every one of his horses and show them love and was completely captivated with the world of racing," she wrote on Twitter.

King Power Racing's runners at Leicester on Monday were withdrawn and none of their entries at Nottingham on Wednesday was declared.

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