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Equine Retirements, Long Term Injuries and Departures

I was luck to be at Down Royal when Looks Like Trouble came over as reigning Gold Cup holder to start off his new season in the Nicholson Chase. He blitzed the track on fast ground, setting a new course record. Unfortunately he never ran again.
 
He came back Feb 2002 and broke track record at Towcester before breaking down in Best Mate's Gold Cup; I remember Noel Chance nearly in tears post race saying he should have gone straight for the race.
A proper horse whose RSA win was seen as a fluke by many at the time.
Funnily enough , Nick Dundee , his main rival that day had been owned by Trevor Hemmings and reared at his Monymusk Stud near Kanturk but was nearly impossible to catch once left out to his paddock.
When informed that they were overstocked, manager Greg made sure Nick was the first to leave.
Winning a bumper on debut for trainer Eugene O'Sullivan( a rarity of hen's teeth proportions) followed by sale to Edward O'Grady for the Magnier family, Nick Dundee's novice chase successes had Greg's ears burned by all and sundry.
Greg watched the Festival from his Monymusk cottage , promising his cheers would be heard in Kanturk if Nick was defeated that St Patrick's Day. Stuck in traffic in Kanturk post parade while listening to the race on the radio, I rolled down my window to catch some semblance of a cheer coming my way.
 
Watching Looks Like Troubles Gold Cup has brought back so many memories of that era. Strong Promise coming third ( I bought some flowers for the garden with my ew winnings) only to die at Aintree, just as his old adversary One Man had done when Strong Promise was out for a year. See More Business being carried out in the Gold Cup. Nick Dundee falling but being held to prevent further injury. Looks Like Trouble never seeming to get the recognition he deserved as his wins were deemed to be flukes. Where does the time go?
 
Richard Johnson put up a short video of LLT on twitter on Gold Cup day eating - he looked old but it seems had a good life to the end and was much loved .

Indeed, seriously underrated and subsequent careers I reckon showed he would have beaten Nick Dundee that day.
 
I was speaking to Emma Lavelle's secretary yesterday at the Cattistock point to point and introduced her to my mother saying "this lady has the wonderful Paisley Park in his retirement" to which she promptly replied "Oh no - I've given him back! He was an utter a*se!" Apparently like so many horses who have been the star of their yard, he didn't appreciate not being lovingly adored out hunting and clapped wherever he went so started having tantrums. So he'd back in the yard being ridden out every day, happy as Larry. It's funny how some horses just don't enjoy being out of the limelight. We were given Couldn't Be Better and he was exactly the same. He'd been spoilt rotten all his life by his lad and been allowed to do exactly what he wanted so found hunting boring. The bucking explosions were something else and not easy to stay on board once he decided to let rip!
 
And Angels Breath is having a months box rest, then going out in the field to continue his recovery - and spending his retirement with Annie who looked after him at Henderson’s right at the start. Could not have worked out better for him, he’s a lucky chap!
 


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