Equine Retirements, Long Term Injuries and Departures

So pleased he has got out in one piece. She always said she would take him when he retired, so glad he gets a retirement. The RyanAir/Paisley Park duet at Cheltenham one of the best days racing ever. The crowd reaction was awesome. Such a shame no crowd at Kempton when he won the KG.
 
Great news about Frodon. He has been around for years 8th in a Triumph Hurdle in 2016. Totally deserved his occasional visit to the top table, as well.
 
Does anyone know if Champagnesocialist is ok after her fall yesterday at Limerick? Listening to it on the radio she seemed to be down for a long time but I can’t find any information about her.
 
Zambella retired, gallant mare and was a tad unlucky not to have a festival win to her name, definitely the best of the home contingent for a number of years.
 
FFS. First Iroko and now InthePocket. Both horses I’ve backed at decent odds for the Turners at the fez


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Notlongtillmay sadly at Kempton. A very emotional interview on ITV. All credit to Laura Morgan

RIP


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Falbrav was a most extraordinary horse. The Cumani stable did wonders to channel his fearsome temperament into performances on the track. I saw him run in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket and I swear that as he walked around the parade ring smoke and flames blew out his nostrils.
 
Grey said:
Falbrav was a most extraordinary horse. The Cumani stable did wonders to channel his fearsome temperament into performances on the track. I saw him run in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket and I swear that as he walked around the parade ring smoke and flames blew out his nostrils.
Click to expand...

:D:D
 
I was blessed to be present when he was a short head behind the dead-heaters, High Chapparel and Johar in the Breeders Cup at Santa Anita in 2003.* Still the most pulsating horse race I have ever witnessed. He'd have won with a proper jockey.

*(Holy Fcuk! That was 21 years ago!)
 
A Plus Tard retired

Courtesy of Racing Post

A Plus Tard, who reached the summit of jump racing when landing the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup, has been retired, owners Cheveley Park announced on Thursday.

Trained by Henry de Bromhead, the ten-year-old's greatest day came at Cheltenham when putting in a mesmerising performance to pummel stablemate Minella Indo by 15 lengths under Rachael Blackmore, one year on from finishing second to that same rival.

It was a win that etched Blackmore's name further into the record books as the first female rider to win the Gold Cup, and one he was never able to follow up on as he failed to win in four starts since. His final start was in last month's Savills Chase when he finished sixth of eight at Leopardstown, beaten 81 lengths by Galopin Des Champs.

However, he will always be remembered for that stunning Gold Cup win, a performance that earned him a Racing Post Rating of 183 – only Kauto Star (185), Galopin Des Champs and Denman (184) have earned a higher RPR this century in the Cheltenham Festival's most famous contest.

In addition to the Gold Cup, A Plus Tard won another three Grade 1s, headlined by a 22-length win in the 2021 Betfair Chase. He also won the 2020 Savills Chase and beat Chacun Pour Soi over two miles and a furlong a year earlier at Leopardstown's Christmas festival.

He won eight of his 23 starts, finishing second another eight times, and earned connections £957,124 in prize-money.
 
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It’s such a shame that seemingly good performances take so much out of them these days. Is it down to changed training methods or a weaker version on the thoroughbred? Personally I think maybe a bit of both. Horses certainly aren’t “conditioned” as before, all weather gallops make it easier at home and they continue to breed from unsound stallions/mares. I’d like to see the breed standard improved dramatically to ensure greater soundness.
 
Yes, sad, but at least he's in one piece.

I had him on a really high rating for his Gold Cup and hoped he'd be the dominant staying chaser for at least a couple more years but sometimes these big performances do leave their mark.

Would it be fair to say Minella Indo has never really bounced back from his Gold Cup?

We talked about Rooster Booster in the CH thread. For me, he's another example.

Grundy & Bustino...

Wasn't there also a spell when GN winners failed subsequently to win any race of note?
 
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