Multiple Grade One winner Vautour has died after an accident at trainer Willie Mullins' yard.
The three-time Cheltenham Festival winner was put down after breaking a foreleg, the champion trainer has said.
Mullins said: "It's been a lovely, dry day here and Vautour was out in the paddock with his usual companion Shaneshill.
"One of the girls went out to feed him. There didn't appear to be anything untoward as Shaneshill was grazing away, but Vautour was found to have broken his foreleg.
"He goes out there every day and it's just a freak accident.
"It's tough to take."
The Rich Ricci owned seven-year-old recorded ten wins from 16 starts, including in the Supreme Novices Hurdle, JLT Novices Chase and Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.
Recruited from France, Vautour won in his first six starts for Mullins before a surprise defeat to Clarcam at Punchestown at Christmas 2014 in his second run over fences.
However, he bounced back to claim the JLT in 2015 in the final run of his novice chase season.
Last year he began his career with a Grade Two win at Ascot before suffering the narrowest of defeats to Cue Card in the King George VI Chase at Christmas.
Among the favourites for this year's Gold Cup at Cheltenham, he was re-routed to the Ryanair Chase at the 11th hour, winning in dominant style.
He was last seen when chasing home God's Own in the Boylesports Champion Chase at Punchestown in April.
