The horse has been running his heart out for years and is now an 11 yo. He has taken two crashing falls at the last two Cheltenham Festivals - both when travelling at speed in the latter stages of the relentless Gold Cup . Thats bound to leave a big impression on the mind of a brave horse . As horses get older the bones become less supple and slightly more brittle . So Cue Card could have so easily broken a leg or similar life ending injury .He has won more than £1 MILLION in prize money . So what more can the horse due apart from decline ? Surely he has earned an honourable retirement ?
Presume he will run at Aintree where he won so impressively last year. Hopefully they will call time before he declines but he may have a few good races in him yet with such a dearth of top class chasers about.
Presume he will run at Aintree where he won so impressively last year. Hopefully they will call time before he declines but he may have a few good races in him yet with such a dearth of top class chasers about.
Alice said he wouldn't like to be in a field. This is the poorest excuse ever for not retiring a racehorse .
There are lots of things a retired racehorse can do to keep active when its racing days are over.
If he were mine he'd be retired.Alice said he wouldn't like to be in a field. This is the poorest excuse ever for not retiring a racehorse . There are lots of things a retired racehorse can do to keep active when its racing days are over.
I would expect him to win at Aintree next month, then Wetherby and possibly even the King George next season but Cheltenham seems his unlucky gig these days.
I would expect him to win at Aintree next month, then Wetherby and possibly even the King George next season but Cheltenham seems his unlucky gig these days.
As long as he's sound and enjoying himself, keep on racing imo!
Even if it means running in Hunter Chases or PTPs. I think some just love the routine of it.
I remember when they retired Doran's Pride, Michael Hourigan said the horse would come and stand at the gate of his paddock and just watch the other horses, suggesting that the horse wasn't happy out of his routine and stood in a field.
So they brought him back into training and unfortunately he lost his life on the battlefield at Cheltenham. Sad, but I think the horse died doing what you enjoyed, being a racehorse.
Now I'm no horse psychiatrist, but when I compare pics of Kauto Star in his pomp at Ditcheat to when he was in his second career doing dressage, I struck by how perky he was Ditcheat, I think he just loved the routine of it!
As long as he's sound and enjoying himself, keep on racing imo!Even if it means running in Hunter Chases or PTPs. I think some just love the routine of it. I remember when they retired Doran's Pride, Michael Hourigan said the horse would come and sta