a neck from Homeric, Mill Reef was found to be suffering from a heavy virus and the rematch had to be postponed. After his recovery, Mill Reef was trained for an autumn campaign and a return to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October. During a routine training gallop, however, he stumbled and shattered his foreleg. Charles Allen, a veterinary specialist, was flown in. Mill Reef's fracture was complicated. A triangularly shaped piece of bone about two and a half inches long was broken from the lower end of the cannon bone and was considerably displaced. The inner sesamoid bone was completely shattered and the rim of the top of the main pastern bone was damaged. It seemed likely that the inner sesamoid bone was the first to break, with the result on the next step that the fetlock was not braced and the foot and the pastern were pointing outwards. The sheer pressure of the horse's weight caused the crumbling of the rim of the pastern bone and the breaking of the cannon bone. It was decided that an operation would be performed in a building in Ian Balding's yard. Over a span of six hours, a simplified stainless-steel compression plate held by three screws was used to pin the broken pieces to the cannon bone. The injuries on the sesamoid bone or the rim of the pastern were avoided. The operation was successful. Professor Edwin James Roberts performed the operation and Mill Reef's life was saved. His stable lad, John Hallum, played a major role in nursing him for three months. After the painstaking operation, Mill Reef's racing career was over and he became a stallion at The National Stud in Newmarket. Stud career Mill Reef's descendants include: c = colt, f = filly Death Mill Reef was Euthanized on 2 February 1986 and he is buried within the National Stud, where a statue stands in his memory. Assessment, honours and awards Mill Reef was given a rating of 141 by Timeform and is listed at no. 4 in the greatest racehorses of the twentieth century. The Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury is named in his honour. The following is inscribed on the plinth beneath his statue at the National Stud: Swift as a bird I flew down many a course. Princes, Lords, Commoners all sang my praise. In victory or defeat I played my part. Remember