Trainer Aidan O’Brien’s sadness after death of his star filly Snowfall

Aidan O’Brien’s dual York winner and Group One heroine Snowfall has been put down after suffering a pelvic injury.

Having only won one of her seven races as a juvenile, she blossomed at three and notched up four successive victories, including three Group Ones.

She won the Musidora on Knavesmire last May by almost four lengths but was overlooked by Ryan Moore in the Oaks at Epsom in favour of Santa Barbara, but the Frankie Dettori-ridden Snowfall bolted up in the Classic by 16 lengths.

While not able to match that margin in the Irish equivalent, she still won by eight and a half lengths and followed up in the Yorkshire Oaks at York last August.

That was her last win as she was beaten by Teona in the Prix Vermeille, finished sixth in the Arc and third on Champions Day at Ascot. No decision had been taken on whether the four-year-old would remain in training this year or head off to stud.

“It’s very sad news, terrible,” said O’Brien.

“The lads were thinking of keeping her in training but they hadn’t quite made up their minds, it was very possible.

“She had a pelvic injury in her box. Sometimes pelvic injuries go the right way or they can go the wrong way, unfortunately this one went the wrong way.

“It’s very sad and I feel very sorry for the lads, for Derrick (Smith), Michael (Tabor) and John (Magnier).”

Meanwhile, Richard Spencer has high hopes for Wonderwall after his convincing victory in the Betting Better With Sky Bet Maiden Hurdle at Doncaster yesterday.

The six-year-old is a bumper winner and looked a likely victor on his hurdles debut at Newbury before blundering at the final flight and eventually finishing second.

This time there were no such errors and the bay travelled with complete ease to comfortably prevail under James Bowen at odds of 6-4.

Spencer has the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in mind for the gelding, a horse he regards as the best jumping prospect in his dual-purpose Newmarket yard.

“We’ve always thought he’d be a horse for the Ballymore,” he said.

“We’d like to run before if we could. There’s (Cheltenham Festival) Trials Day and there’s the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon, but the plan has been Cheltenham for a long time.”

Moriko De Vassy (9-4) looked a horse of great promise when landing the Betting Better With Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle for Aidan Coleman and Tom Symonds.

The five-year-old was a bumper winner last term and took his hurdles debut by 30 lengths in November, but fell when contesting a novice contest at Huntingdon last month.

Burdened with a 7lb penalty for his previous success, the gelding overcame a final fence error and a lost shoe to produce an impressive late burst of speed and deny Fergal O’Brien’s Great Heart’Jac by a neck on the line.

Erne River made light work of his chasing debut when cruising to an impressive six-length win in the Sky Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase for Charlie Hammond and Nick Kent.

The 5-1 chance kept himself out of trouble as three runners either fell or were brought down and found himself clear of the field approaching the last fence, which he jumped well to cross the line unchallenged.

“He oozes chaser and that’s why we’ve gone chasing quicker than normal and we’re really, really pleased,” said Kent.

“He’s a bit more relaxed as he’d been a bit keen in his races last year, but we’ve worked on that at home, he was great there.”

William Maggs’ career in the saddle got off to the best possible start as he enjoyed a winner on his first ride under rules.

The 16-year-old has pony racing experience and rides for Donald McCain alongside his twin brother Charlie, who began his professional career for the trainer at Southwell on Sunday.

Riding the McCain-trained Bird On The Wire in the first division of the Sky Bet Extra Places Every Day Handicap Hurdle, a race specifically for conditional or amateur jockeys, Maggs steered the 8-1 shot to a four-and-a-quarter-length victory over 50-1 chance Ribeye.

“What an amazing start, that’s my first ride under rules,” the jockey said.

“I’ve ridden in pony races since I was about 11 or 12 and picked up two winners from 24 rides.

“It’s nice to open the account under rules like this.”