Triple World Hurdle winner Inglis Drever was put down on Friday after suffering a serious bout of colic.

The Howard Johnson-trained stayer was a flagbearer for owner Graham Wylie and lit up the National Hunt scene with his heroics at the Cheltenham Festival.

Inglis Drever made history at the Cheltenham Festival last year when he became the first horse to win the World Hurdle three times, showing tremendous courage to overhaul Kasbah Bliss.

He was retired from racing in January after failing to overcome an injury he picked up two months earlier and was sent to Wylie's Chesters Stud at Humshaugh, Hexham to enjoy his retirement.

However, he was found to be suffering with colic this week and the decision was taken to put the 10-year-old down on humane grounds.

Johnson said: "They took him away yesterday and from what I can understand they couldn't do anything with him. Graham rung me yesterday morning to say he was thrashing on the ground so they got the vets up there to look at him and they rushed him straight in (for surgery).

"They put him on a drip overnight and they rang Mr Wylie back this morning to say his heart rate was over 70 and it should 33, so they have had to put him down on humane grounds."

Johnson has had a number of top-class horses pass through his hands, but places Inglis Drever at the top of the tree.

He added: "Without a doubt he'd be number one when it comes to horses I've trained."