AUL Cole, who trains at Whatcombe, near Wantage, has paid tribute to stable star River Proud after he collapsed and died at Longchamp on Saturday.

Oliver Peslier had cut out much of the running on the three-year-old in the Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange.

However, he was struggling in the straight and tragically collapsed in front of the stands halfway up the run-in and died.

The race was won by Never On Sunday for Jean-Claude Rouget, with Russian Cross second.

Cole reported that the vet told him River Proud's aortic valve burst.

He said it was a horrific experience, describing the son of Proud Citzen as a friend and a gentleman.

"River Proud was our best horse never to reach his full potential," he added.

An impressive winner on his debut at Newbury last season, River Proud went on to finish second to Winker Watson in the Group 2 July Stakes at Newmarket, before winning the Group 3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes back at headquarters in October.

This season, he was a fast-finishing third in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) at Longchamp after encountering problems with the stalls.

He was then supplemented for the Vodafone Derby at a cost of £75,000 only to go lame on the eve of the race.

Following a two-month break, River Proud ran out an impressive winner of the Listed Blue Square Premier Stakes at Goodwood.

He went on to finish a creditable second to Russian Cross in the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville last month, before his ill-fated return to France at the weekend.