Retirements & Departures 2011

Lost yesterday at Fontwell, Gary Moore's chaser, PREMIER DE MARAIS, after falling at the 15th. Quite a number of dismounts yesterday with one or two sounding unhappy, but no follow-ups available.
 
Three retirements at Jonjo's stables, Bob Hall and Isn't That Lucky who are to hunt with the Devon and Somerset staghounds, and Ringaroses.
 
Aran Concerto put down after breaking his pelvis on his last start. I have nothing against bringing any horse back from injury and we have done it ourselves, but he had terrible problems with his hocks and should have been retired when it was clear he was going to struggle to win a race after a couple of comeback runs. A Grade 1 winner, a bloody good horse in his day but I think they should have taken care of him in the end. Pity.
 
Cantoris, thanks for letting us know the (very sad) outcome - he was injured on May 25th, so I hope he wasn't suffering until now. If you can possibly let me know about IMAALHALL and STOTAN, both injured the same day (all NH), I'd be very grateful.

It's a very regrettable thing that some people who own decent horses don't pay them back in kind. I hate a nanny culture, but it makes you wonder whether vets should sign some of them off with 'no more racing' caveats, in the way that many owners who do care will give over their horses for other work but with that requirement registered with Weatherbys. Perhaps there's a need for horses to be protected from certain connections and, as we won't always know who they are, the veterinary profession could cooperate with racing authorities to ensure that horses aren't put through avoidable distress, as ARAN CONCERTO was.
 
I was at Punchestown and Noel Meade joined a group I was in. Aran Concerto had run the previous day and I thought he ran well but the ground was probably too quick. He said good ground was better for his hock problems these days than soft ground. I was slightly bemused at the time as he had no chance of winning on good ground. He was always better on soft. C'est la vie.
 
C'est la vie, with the exception of ARAN CONCERTO. Frankly, I don't care whether he was a good horse or a feeble little no-hoper - they don't deserve to be shoved around when they have known physical problems. Hocks are vital springs for jumpers, as you know - once they're compromised, it's the rest of the body which has to take up the effort, less effectively. So why put your horse through it? Just find them a non-racing home or bung them in a field as a companion if they are likely to keep going wrong.
 
Thanks for that finality, Cantoris. I know IMAALHALL wasn't a world beater, but I liked him well enough - he went out of shot when going strongly, and the presenter said 'badly injured' so I had no great expectations of his recovery. 25th May a bad day for jumpers, that's for sure.
 
It would have been homebred aswell. I know the owner/breeder. Nice fella. Just likes to see his horses racing, irrespective of their ability or type of race.
 
Please give him my condolences, Cantoris. That's an extra harsh blow when you've parented the animal, and he was a very likeable horse. I liked his name, too - looked up Imaal Hall. Interesting.

Also, it took me to Glen of Imaal terriers - lovely scruffy-looking wee chaps who look to have loads of character!
 
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PROVOST, fatally injured at Sedgefield this afternoon. I work with the girl who looked after him as a youngster at Dukes Stud and we were watching his race together on ATR when he fell heavily at the fourth. Was really hoping, for his sake and hers, that he got up again but RP comments in running confirmed the worst.
 
Cruella said:
PROVOST, fatally injured at Sedgefield this afternoon. I work with the girl who looked after him as a youngster at Dukes Stud and we were watching his race together on ATR when he fell heavily at the fourth. Was really hoping, for his sake and hers, that he got up again but RP comments in running confirmed the worst.
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Best Horse and Troodos Jet took identikit falls at the Johnny Ridley fence a circuit from home in the preceding 2m chase. Both looked to suffer broken necks.
 
What's really tragic about those two is that it was only 10 y.o. consistent TROODOS's second fall, and BEST HORSE's first - and last. A dire day for the casual racegoer to see three dead in two races.
 
His loss is huge. An amazing strike rate of winners to runners. He was never abused with high numbers. Although he was small himself, he produced every type of horse. He will be badly missed as his proper national hunt offspring are only peaking now so he could yet throw up more chasers. The only positive is that there are plenty of other Saddlers Wells sire lines around.
 
There's more than enough SW blood around as you say and plenty of good sires on your side of the sea Oran.

Will be interested to see how the Robin Des Champs go down at the sales and on the track now he's over there too :)
 
Irish Stamp said:
There's more than enough SW blood around as you say and plenty of good sires on your side of the sea Oran.

Will be interested to see how the Robin Des Champs go down at the sales and on the track now he's over there too :)
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there's a lot of drivil too among SW national hunt. For the Old Vic, Oscar, Kings Theatre etc you have the Dr Massini, Saddlers Hall, Accordion, Kayf Tara group. There are a few new ones through like Milan, Court Cave and Brian Boru.

If it's French breeding and a nice looker, it tends to sell well simply because of scarcity. Kalanisi the second top average in the Land Rover but he only had three for sale.
 
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