'It was gutting and makes you feel sick' - Gavin Sheehan mourns loss of Datsalrightgino

Gavin Sheehan has spoken emotionally of the "gutting" death of Datsalrightgino, a horse he believes might have won the Grand National or Cheltenham Gold Cup.

He had the highest hopes for a partner on whom he won the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in December but who suffered a fatal injury at Cheltenham on Saturday.

"That's the highs and lows of racing," the jockey reflected 24 hours later. "It was gutting and makes you feel sick inside your stomach.

"He's been a superstar all the way through his career. He was a top-class horse and he was a horse who gave you dreams, we're in this game to dream and think what could be.

"I've always dreamt of winning the Grand National and the Gold Cup and he was a horse that I thought could do it."

The Jamie Snowden-trained Datsalrightgino suffered his injury after falling in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham. His jockey said: "He was a gentleman and he's going to be sadly missed by everyone. It definitely brought a tear to your eye and left your heart empty."

Sheehan, speaking after winning on Some Scope at Doncaster on Sunday, had enjoyed better luck at Cheltenham when Ga Law scored his first success in 14 months. 

"It was great to see Ga Law back," he said. "It was a great training performance, he's not been easy. When he fell up here in the Sky Bet Chase he lost his confidence and he's very much a confidence horse."

He was also pleased with the Richard Hobson-trained Ryanair Chase entry Fugitif's third place in the Clarence House Chase.

"Fugitif was great," Sheehan said. "Richard is very good at getting horses ready for the day and it was probably a bit of an afterthought and I thought he ran a massive race considering."

Read more:

A day of highs and tragic lows for Jamie Snowden as Ga Law win is followed by death of Datsalrightgino 

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