Heartbreak on the track

The racing world has lost two star gallopers in separate incidents.

Melbourne Cup runner-up Heartbreak City had to be euthanased after breaking a leg during a racecourse gallop at The Curragh in Ireland.

Owned by a group of Irishmen, Heartbreak City earned his place in last year’s Melbourne Cup with victory in the rich Ebor Handicap.

Darren Dance’s Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock bought into the seven-year-old after his Ebor win.

Trainer Tony Martin said Heartbreak City was being prepared for another campaign aimed at going one better than his close second to Almandin at Flemington when the accident happened on Saturday.

‘‘It’s very sad. He did everyone proud and was more than a horse, he was some character and so genuine,’’ Martin told the Racing Post.

‘‘It is unfortunate as so many people wanted him when he retired because he was such a lovely horse.

‘‘He took us to so many places and the plan this season was to go back out to Melbourne and have another whack.

‘‘He was having a gallop ahead of running on the Flat next week at the Curragh.’’

Heartbreak City was ridden by Joao Moreira in the Melbourne Cup and the Brazilian champion jockey was aboard Hong Kong star Rapper Dragon when it suffered a pelvis injury midway through the Champions Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday and had to be put down.

Sunday’s race favourite was pulled up by Moreira and despite efforts by Hong Kong Jockey Club veterinarians he could not be saved.

‘‘Rapper Dragon suffered a severe fracture of his pelvis which, unfortunately, was coupled with serious complications,’’ head of Veterinary Clinical Services, Dr Christopher Riggs, said.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse to run second in the Champagne Stakes as a two-year- old, Rapper Dragon was chasing his first Group I win after a clean sweep of the Hong Kong four-year-old series - the Classic Mile, Classic Cup and Hong Kong Derby.