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This most famous chestnut is most likely to be retired after his run on Wednesday, I have always followed this horses career, I wish him all the best and hope he has a ;ong and happy retirement
This was from one of the Racing Publications:
Michael Hourigan envisages a happy retirement for Beef Or Salmon, who brings his illustrious career to an end at Punchestown on Wednesday.The popular 12-year-old bids a fond farewell to competitive action after the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup, a race he won in 2004.
“He’ll have a good retirement,” Hourigan told At The Races.
“He’ll be ridden every day and will be well looked after.
“It will be sad to see him go but hopefully he’ll come back safe and sound and enjoy his retirement.”
Beef Or Salmon was a revelation in his pomp, and leaves behind a legacy consisting of at least 10 Grade One victories and over £983,000 in prize-money.
Despite his stellar achievements in Ireland, he failed to win a race in Britain and consistently struggled in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
“He’s been a super horse in Ireland and ran well three times at Haydock,” added the County Limerick handler.
“I think the fall at Cheltenham (as a novice in 2003) took it out of him and he always remembered that bad fall.
“He’s 12 now and we wouldn’t want to drive him into the dirt
Makes me wish even more I was going to Punchestown this year. Was there for Moscow Flyer’s last race. What a reception the old boy will get; come back safe and happy retirement Beef or Salmon! [never did like his name though; sorry!].
Thank God he’s not going Hunter Chasing like poor old Doran’s Pride. He and Kicking King will share a happy retirement together after Wednesday.
A very good chaser in his day. Says a lot that he’s still rated 159 as a 12 year old. Hopefully he’ll get through Wednesday ok and have a long and happy retirement with the Hourigans.
He’s been a legend, was watching highlights of his 10 grade 1’s on attheraces today. A well deserved retirement, it would be great if he could go out with a win.
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
Thank God he’s not going Hunter Chasing like poor old Doran’s Pride.
Uh-oh, not the old hunter-chasing-killed-Doran’s-Pride-needlessly chestnut…
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
They should have retired him well before instead of making him lump 12st around in the Irish National which was a very sorry sight to see.
I hope he has a nice retirement, I saw him run 2nd in a Betfair Chase at Haydock and saw him fall at Aintree but i think hes a superstar.
Just hope he finishes in one piece … if the decision to retire has been made I think it should be NOW and not after one more race … what has he got left to prove???
Let’s hope he comes home safe and sound in his last race and has a happy retirement, he has been a very good horse.
Cant help wondering if he couldnt have been better handled at various stages of his career
Always a great horse to bet against when the hype got out of control and he ran out of his comfort zone, but hope he has a nice retirement. He was an impressive animal in so many ways
Cant help wondering if he couldnt have been better handled at various stages of his career
Not least – as Grasshopper and myself have said on several occasions – that there were any number of decent prizes in France for him that went begging due to connections’ lack of enterprise.
With Auteuil being left-handed, flattish, and usually riding soft or worse, and the prizemoney for the Graded chases there certainly not to be sniffed at, surely a clear round would have seen him go close in the top-class races?
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Very good point jeremy and not just applicable to BOS. Why is there this reluctance to go for prizes there?
I could never understand why, with the GC as the obvious main career target, they never gave him outings at Cheltenham away from the festival. The Pillar chase being the obvious one.
I always felt that the Gold Cup was more of an afterthought than the season target, especially after his novice season. Connections seemed more than happy to hoover up all the prizes over here than really gear a campaign towards Cheltenham in March.
I’d agree with that david – certianly latterl;y at least, Cheltenham always looked a secondary consideration to the Irish Hennessy.
Would have been great to see him hack round at Auteuil, but it’s not to be. A top-class and consistently under-appreciated steeplechaser, imo. I hope he has a long and comfortable retirement.
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