Equine Retirements, Long Term Injuries and Departures

For all their abuse on here (deserved), the RP tweeted out the below picture of Kauto and Denman - happier times

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Perhaps if they had not both been around at the same time, Denman would/could have been hailed as one of the greatest of all time, Kauto would have overshadowed any other horse, but as someone has already said maybe one would not have been quite so great without the other. Very sad they have both gone as deserved long and happy retirements. One dreams of having a horse as good as either of them, but really half as good would be amazing as these type of horses really only come along once in a racing fan's lifetime.
 
Little did we think the day Denman won his maiden in Liscarroll p2p the future he would have.
Bobbawn won a winners race the same day, was every bit as impressive yet never won again, the effects possibly of a less then successful wind op. (rumour)
He laid it down again and again at Festival and was a joy to watch each and every time.
Djakadam should not be forgotten either as his Festival record with a little bit of luck would have included at least one win.
he also outscores Denman 7 Grade 1 wins to 4, not that it means anything other than he was there year on year running against the best and held his form through it all.
 
Oh no!! I know it’s sad whenever any horse loses their life, but there was something about The Romford Pele that was just lovely.


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Arctic Fire coming out of retirement according to Chris Cook in the Guardian

"Arctic Fire is about to make a surprise return to the track, having been retired at the start of the year. A high-class horse for Willie Mullins and runner-up in Faugheen’s Champion Hurdle, the horse has been put back in training with the lower profile Denis Cullen and is being lined up for the Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary on Thursday.
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</aside> There were some muttered concerns for the horse on social media when the entry was published at the weekend but Cullen assures me the horse is sound and healthy and an alternative career will certainly be found for him if he suggests he can no longer cope with racing.
“He was out in the field with a neighbour of mine for a couple of months but he’s still quite young, he’s only nine, and he looked a bit bored,” Cullen said. “Nick Peacock, who owns him, approached me and we’ve put him back into training.
“His preparation has gone very well, he’s sound and in good form. He’s not been over-raced, he enjoys what he does and if, at any stage, he suggests he can’t do it any more, something else will be found for him to do, whether as a riding horse or something else.

“This race is only a starting point. I’m not saying I can get him to run to 160 first time out by any means but if he can run to 130, 140, then we might have something to build on.”
When Arctic Fire was retired, Peacock said he felt injuries had held the horse back and indeed he’s only had two races since January 2016. But he did win the County Hurdle last year and Cullen says he’s seen no sign of any injury in the time he’s had the horse.
Cullen comes across well and I hope he enjoys some success with Arctic Fire, who must be easily the highest rated horse in his yard."
 
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I hope he does well; one of my favourite horses of recent years. It would be nice for a small trainer to get a fairytale win with him.
 
That's such a shame. His season went anything but to plan last year although one sensed he was starting to get the hang of it again at the end and it's such a pity he never got to scale the heights he once promised and may yet have done so.

RIP.
 
That was a crash, bang, wallop of a career.
Pt-to-Pt, Great White Hope, Whatever he does over hurdles is a bonus, Promising novice, Failed frustrating horse, Hang on there's hope yet, and done. All in 2 years?
Tough game at times.
 
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