A trailer float containing Hudson Sully and Billy Klondike rolled off State Highway One near Moeraki as Bishop made her way north with two floats — the other containing Mordecai and Rockefeller.
Hudson Sully broke his back and had to be put down.
Billy Klondike escaped largely unscathed and was scratched from last night’s Addington meeting and tomorrow’s Kurow meeting at Oamaru, but should return to racing in a month or so.
But it is the loss of Hudson Sully that hurts Bishop the most.
"I just lost my favourite horse, my soldier, and I’m pretty gutted," Bishop said.
"I was running everyone with no whips tonight and that was for Hudson Sully who had just turned 9.
"I thought after 152 starts, he deserved a wee break and try him without a whip. He knows what he’s doing and he knows he wants to win."
Bishop has plenty of memories of the Courage Under Fire gelding.
She first worked with him as a 2yr-old when she worked for Bruce Negus in Waikouaiti, and his electric sprint provided Bishop with her first training win at Timaru in October 2014. He also won the 2015 winter sprint series final.
The gelding had been bouncing around during the week, so Bishop was looking forward to a fun weekend with the veteran.
"He’s been scooting out of his pen on me, having a roll and a rear in the paddock," she said.
"He’s been an awesome, honest wee racehorse, and I’ll be lucky to ever get a horse that tries like him. I’m going to be quite lost without him."
