Trained by John Quinn, Highfield Princess progressed from winning a handicap off a rating of 57 to winning four times at the top level in Britain, Ireland and France as well as lining up in major sprints in the US and Hong Kong.
Highfield Princess had been due to return to racing this season with Fairley saying he and his family loved the “sheer thrill” of watching her compete. However, last week she was retired after sustaining a hind-leg injury having been cast in her stall.
In a statement released on Sunday morning, Fairley said: “It has been the privilege of our lives to have known Highfield Princess. We are all heartbroken.
“She was the horse you dream of breeding and owning. She took our family on an extraordinary adventure around the world and created so many precious memories. She loved to race and her intelligence, toughness and will to win were incredible. She was truly a special horse, a member of our family.
“There were so many people involved in her incredible journey. From the stud where she was born, to the people who helped her take her first steps under saddle and the farm where she spent her holidays. We know the team at John and Sean Quinn Racing, who have looked after the ‘Princess’ with dedication and love, will also be devastated. We would like to thank them all for their tender care over the years. She was so happy in that yard.
“Highfield Princess was the pride of Yorkshire, a superstar on the racecourse and adored by so many, for her irrepressible spirit at home and on the racecourse. We're thinking of everyone who loved and admired her, in the UK and all around the world. She will be forever held in our hearts.”
Highfield Princess initially made positive progress under veterinary supervision, but was unable to make a recovery from “an inoperable fracture”.
In a joint-statement from John Quinn, his son Sean, and Fairley, they said: “Although over the past week she fought with the same extraordinary spirit she showed on the racecourse, last night she lost her battle for life.
“We would like to thank Jonathan Anderson and the team at Rainbow Equine Hospital, who did everything possible to help the 'Princess' and keep her comfortable.”
Bred by former television presenter and producer Fairley, who is the Quinns landlord at Highfield Stables in Malton, Highfield Princess was unsold for 29,000gns (£30,450) as a yearling and entered training the following year.
Highfield Princess did not debut until the summer of her three-year-old season, winning for the first time on her fifth start in a 7f handicap at Ayr. From there, she rapidly progressed winning the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Listed Queen Charlotte Fillies’ Stakes in 2021.
