A LOCAL racehorse will be honored at next week's Worcester Race meeting after he died in surgery following a fall earlier this month.

Captain Tom Cat, trained by Droitwich-based trainer Dr Richard Newland, died in surgery on July 10 after suffering a ruptured tendon in a race at Market Rasen the day before (July 9). 

The eight-year-old was a popular horse that was owned by the syndicate Deva Racing.

Worcester News: Captain Tom Cat was a popular horse and will be hugely missed by all connectionsCaptain Tom Cat was a popular horse and will be hugely missed by all connections (Image: Deva Racing)

And in his memory, Deva Racing will sponsor one of the races at the July 29 meeting.

Deva's director Ryan Tongue spent a lot of time with Captain Tom Cat, and grew very fond of the horse. 

"I am just overwhelmed by the reaction and the messages we have been sent," he said to At The Races last week.

"What a horse he was. It was a very difficult situation to come to terms with and accept but it was the right thing to do. 

"We tried everything to save the boy, it was just really, really sad."