Group One winner Align euthanised

Group One winner Align has been euthanised at New Zealand's Highview Stud at the age of 19 following a battle with arthritis and a laminitic condition.

The winner of the 1999 AJC Sires' Produce Stakes after running second to Catbird in the Golden Slipper, the John Hawkes-trained Align went to Highview in 2001.

"He was buried with pride and honour on the farm alongside his old mate Kashani," Highview's managing director Brent Gillovic said.

"He was an absolute gem of a horse to have on the farm, a gentleman to do anything with and it is with a very heavy heart that we bid him farewell."

From just over 300 runners, Align produced 185 individual winners, many of them in Singapore where his son Huka Falls will attempt to claim his 17th win at Kranji on Friday night.

His most recent Australian stakes winner is Pajaro, winner of last month's Listed Scone Cup.

The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Pajaro, runner-up in two stakes races in Brisbane at his past two starts, runs in Saturday's Listed A M Giles Quality (1830m) at Eagle Farm.