LONDON - 23rd June 2006
 MELBOURNE Cup winner Media Puzzle has been put down after shattering a leg near the finish line of the Ascot Gold Cup early this morning (AEST).
Media Puzzle scored an emotional win in the 2002 Melbourne Cup for jockey Damien Oliver, whose brother Jason died in a track accident the week before.
The gelding was trained by Dermot Weld, who remains the only European handler to claim Australia's most famous race.
Weld has won the race twice, with Vintage Crop taking out the 1993 Cup before Media Puzzle saluted.
Media Puzzle shattered bones in his near-fore at the end of his 26th career start, and was pulled up by Pat Smullen.
The gelding was attended immediately by racecourse vets and his trainer, but his injuries were too severe for him to be saved.
"We had hoped initially that we would be able to save him but he fractured sesamoid bones very badly and, on having taken veterinary advice, the humane thing to do was to have him put down," Weld said.
"He was a wonderful servant. He overcame chronic tendon problems in the past. This was very different and sadly he is gone."
Off the track in 2003, he returned to Australia the following year, when he was beaten into 12th place in Makybe Diva's first of three Melbourne Cups.
Recurrent injury problems caused him to miss another campaign last year, but a third trip to Australia was being considered following a win in the Listed Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown last month, his first victory since his Flemington heroics.
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