Reve De Sivola dies after Kelso battle

THERE was a sad postscript to racing at Kelso yesterday when the popular Reve De Sivola collapsed and died.

The Nick Williams-trained 12-year-old won the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot three times for his owners, the Paul Duffy Diamond Partnership.

He also won the Challow Hurdle at Newbury as a novice, as well as the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown and even a Grade One in France, with career win and place prize-money of over £600,000.

Having helped make the pace in the Edinburgh Gin Handicap Hurdle, he had faded in the straight before being pulled up sharply before the final flight.

Before French champion jockey James Reveley had chance to dismount, Reve De Sivola fell to the floor.

The race was won by Lucinda Russell’s Big River, beating Irish Grand National entrant Seeyouatmidnight by 10 Jockey James Reveley lengths. The 14-year-old Knockara Beau, who won the Premier Hurdle at the course as a novice, was retired after pulling up.

Clerk of the course Anthea Morshead said: “It was very sad, he suffered an internal bleed and collapsed and died.”