DUBLIN trainer James McAuley had to put two horses down on Tuesday evening after 17 geldings in his care escaped their paddock and ran loose on the public road. Miraculously, nobody was hurt in the incident.

McAuley trains in Naul, North County Dublin and is a frequent visitor to the winner’s enclosure. He trained 12 winners during the latest all-weather championship, finishing second in the table, and he had his first winner of the turf flat season at Gowran Park on Tuesday.

The trainer told Racing Post that while all 17 horses were returned to his yard, two had serious injuries and had to be put down. They were six-year-old Godhead and five-year-old Da Vinci.

He said he did not know how the horses managed to get on to the road as they were in the same paddock as always after exercise earlier in the day.