Joy for Charlie Appleby was short-lived at Chester when Hidden Law tragically suffered a fatal injury soon after passing the winning post as an impressive victor of the feature Boodles Chester Vase Stakes on Wednesday.

The Godolphin-owned son of Dubawi was sent off at 9/4 on the back of a taking victory at Newbury last month and quickened up smartly in the hands of William Buick to scoot three-lengths clear of the enterprisingly-ridden gamble of the race, Aidan O’Brien’s Agenda, in the closing stages.