After on the surface what was a superb weekend of racing with six unbelievable contests at Ascot on British Champions Day which showed off the best of flat racing, in other races the sport was in mourning after one big name in the sport passed away.
One of the most recognisable was arguably the most versatile horse in the sport with Wicklow Brave looking sure to go and land the American Grand National for Willie Mullins in New Jersey before falling at the last fence.
The 10 year old has won major races on the flat, over hurdles and also over fences and was set to become one of the only horses in the history of horse racing to land a Grade/Group One in all three forms of the sport.
The veteran had 59 races throughout his career managing to gain 17 wins over both the flat and the jumps with his major honours throughout his career being the Irish St Leger and the Irish Champion Hurdle and landing a Cheltenham festival win in the County Handicap Hurdle back in 2015.
A favourite to many punters Wicklow Brave took over £944,000 in prize money and as he was getting older was getting better and better narrowly being denied in the Cheltenham festival in the Coral Cup in a photo Finish.
Thriller! William Henry grabs the Coral Cup from Festival favourite Wicklow Brave for @sevenbarrows and @NdeBoinville #TheFestival #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/uo2YqstkRr
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 13, 2019
It marked a sad day for his connections with it showing the ecstasy and despair of racing in seconds with the 10 year old looking sure to create history by winning the American Grand National but unfortunately passing away.
Brain Power went to take the spoils for Nicky Henderson who after 40 years took his first Grand National in horse racing.
Our thoughts are with Wicklow Brave and everyone involved with the horse.