Racing: Top stayer Brown Panther put down after Irish St Leger mishap

Former England international Owen has been a longtime lover of horse racing. Photo / Thinkstock

Order Of St George completed a St Leger double for Aidan O'Brien with a runaway win under jockey Joseph O'Brien at the Curragh yesterday.

However, the race produced more sadness than jubilation after last year's winner, Brown Panther, owned by Michael Owen, sustained a fatal hind leg injury nearing the turn for home, reported the Racing Post.

The decision to reroute Order Of St George to the Irish St Leger instead of the Ladbrokes St Leger on Sunday proved an inspired move by connections as he eased to success, while Bondi Beach scored at Doncaster in his absence.

O'Brien anchored the well-backed 5-4 favourite at the back of the pack as Good Tradition set a solid pace, with Brown Panther taking up a role behind the leader.

The race changed approaching the turn for home as Richard Kingscote sent Brown Panther in pursuit of the leader, at which point disaster struck and the popular 7-year-old was pulled up. He could not be saved.

Former England international Owen has been a longtime lover of horse racing but there is little doubt Brown Panther was the horse he loved the most.

Bred by Owen out of his first racehorse, Treble Heights, Brown Panther reduced his owner to tears when winning at Royal Ascot in 2011 and provided him with a first Classic win in last year's Irish St Leger.

Speaking in June, Owen told the Racing Post's Lee Mottershead of his affection for Brown Panther, saying: "I can't bear thinking of life without him. It's that bad.

"I'll always love racing but I can't imagine I'll ever be able to replicate the pleasure he has given me over the last half a dozen years."