Supreme third Diverge suffered fatal tendon injury at Punchestown festival

Willie Mullins has confirmed the death of Supreme Novices' Hurdle third Diverge, revealing he suffered a life-ending tendon injury at the Punchestown festival last week. 

Despite his inexperience, Diverge was a fine third behind Marine Nationale in the Cheltenham Festival opener and was sent off at 4-1 for the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

Patrick Mullins set out to make all there but the son of Frankel suffered a bad overreach during that contest and trailed in last of the five runners, 108 lengths behind stablemate and odds-on favourite Facile Vega. 

Mullins said: "Diverge overreached badly at Punchestown and did a lot of damage to his tendon. We sent him to a veterinary hospital but, unfortunately, he was unable to be saved as a riding horse or as a pet. 

"It was just one of those freak injuries. He was in the process of running very well at Punchestown and had a very bright future ahead."

Diverge won his maiden hurdle at Punchestown in January by 23 lengths and was pitched in at the deep end next time in the Supreme. He belied his starting price of 25-1 there by holding off subsequent Aintree Grade 1 winner Inthepocket for third, only finding Marine Nationale and Facile Vega too good. 

The five-year-old, who was owned by Chris Jones and boasted a rating of 147 over hurdles, won a Longchamp maiden on the Flat for Freddy Head before joining Mullins. Diverge looked like he might develop into one of the leading novice chasers next season and was as short as 14-1 with some firms for the 2024 Arkle.