Retirements & Departures 2011

Two great servents to racing. Hope they have a long retirement.

I mentioned on another thread that Notre Pere has been retired. It was on Twitter but I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere else.
 
I read in the Weekender that Chablais slipped a tendon at Ascot last week and consequently will not race again. I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere else though.
 
Mentioned on Atacanta that Gina Andrews, rider of RISAALA for Pam Sly, has tweeted that the 5 y.o. mare has been pts. Last out on the 7th.
 
Zenyatta said:
I read in the Weekender that Chablais slipped a tendon at Ascot last week and consequently will not race again. I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere else though.
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Yes to the first bit - but last I heard, the rest of its career wasnt certain yet. From what I know of the injury (through work) though - its unlikely, sadly.
 
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trudij said:
Yes to the first bit - but last I heard, the rest of its career wasnt certain yet. From what I know of the injury (through work) though - its unlikely, sadly.
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Yes, I think it probably falls into the 'highly unlikely' category rather than the 'definitely not'.

A huge shame because he was certainly a talented horse. Henderson said he was hard to keep on the boil but definitely a decent engine.
 
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Last I heard (last week) the horse wasnt back from Ascot yet (had to stay there for a bit) and the future was under debate.the horses Ive had dealings with are pretty much finished from a competitive angle - its a weird old injury when they get it. Cant see them standing up to racing - polo is definately out (though they have on rare occasions gone back to that) and i dont know that they would ask the horse to try. Theres always the danger of it slipping again - and while they can normally bimble about quite happily, any more than that isnt the safest thing for them.
Theres another probably going to have his retirement announced soon too - but Im not at liberty to say who. (if i do, I would have to kill us all !!!)
 
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SAM BASS, talented 3 y.o. chestnut hurdler of Noel Meade's, seen going all wrong on the flat in the 1.20 Grade 2 hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday. Such a nice, tidy wee soul by ALHAARTH, who you'd have thought would've had a few more highly competitive years ahead of him.
 
GOLDEN SILVER, smack bang onto his head contesting the big chase at Leopardstown just now. Can't believe the idiotic remarks from the ATR studio about him 'looking in some discomfort' as he jerks his last on the ground. For fuck's sake! RIP, lovely horse.


Another gone in the second race (maiden hurdles) at the same track today - no words of commiseration or 'discomfort' as he's seen twitching behind the incomplete screen, either. With SAM BASS yesterday, this isn't much of a festival for the horses so far.
 
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The other one killed is MIKTALINA. You want to skip that bit on the replay, Euro - it's a full rotational onto his head, from which few survive, and his last moments are rather graphic. Poor jockey can do nowt - just crawls near him and can only watch him go.
 
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How awful for connections of these horses. We've seen some of the highest highs and the worst lows these past couple of days.
 
These full rotationals, where the horse goes over so fast there's not even time to turn the head, are usually, like GS's, instantly fatal, which is - in a way - more humane than one struggling hopelessly to rise against a broken shoulder, or galloping on with three and a swinger. There's no way to screen these events, and they remind us all of how swiftly fit, bright lives are snatched away in a moment of catastrophe. So sorry for W. Mullins and all connections, especially GS's regular rider and groom.

Hope Paul Townend isn't too badly banged up - he's reported as 'injured' but don't know how much. He was moving around on the floor, so hopefully not something that'll knock him out for long. A horrible moment for him, too.
 
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That's awful about Golden Silver, I really loved him, a gorgeous horse. Commiserations to all his connections and those of all of the others lost.
 
Reported on Atacanta that THE GREAT ALFIE died at Ffos Las yesterday.

Thanks for update on Paul, Granger. Not a great day for him, poor fellow, and out for a few weeks now, I guess.
 
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I'm really sad for Golden Silver, and for Paul who was tweeting how gutted he was and what wonderful days the horse had given him. We all know this can happen but it sure does not get any easier no matter how many we see.
 
Especially when it was the sole fall the horse had had in 52 races, in which he'd placed or won 24 times, earning over half a million in prize money.
 
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