Sad end for Sactuaire at Punchestown The brilliant at his best Sanctuaire had to be put down after a schooling fall following yesterday's card at Punchestown. It certainly put a dampener on a great day earlier for handler Willie Mullins and rider Ruby Walsh. Formerly of course with Paul Nicholls, the seven-year-old reportedly suffered a broken shoulder and also broke a leg in his fall from which Walsh returned relatively unscathed. A winner of seven races, Sanctuaire scored four over fences and three over hurdles for Nicholls. Walsh rode him to six wins including the Grade 2 Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton last season. The French-bred also won the Grade 2 Celebration Chase at Sandown when ridden by Daryl Jacob. Sanctuaire was sold to dissolve a partnership at Doncaster in August when Harold Kirk paid £170,000 for him on behalf of Mullins and Mrs Susannah Ricci.
