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Owners Group’s Chez Hans, trained by Paul Nicholls, has been retired.
Won and placed in half of his four starts on the flat before joining OG, he started his NH career with modest success in 2019-2020.
He then surprised everyone when he notched up a super run of six wins (five on the bounce) and three places from 11 runs in the spring and summer of 2021, before falling on his final start.
A tendon injury kept him off the track until this year, when he failed to fire on his reappearance and later burst a blood vessel in training, leading connections to call time on his racing career.
Not one of the big names but a tough, honest little horse who was adored by his vast army of owners and will be much missed. Lovely video of his winning sequence on YouTube for anyone interested (Chez Hans Summer of 21).
Happy retirement lad.
The anti racing people will tell you that it’s still the fault of humans imprisoning horses in ‘cages’ for 23hrs a day. Unfortunately they don’t realise that there is no such thing as some utopia where all the ickle horsies frolic happily in sunny meadows all day.
I suspect they have never seen a wild horse slowly starving to death because its shattered leg or shoulder leaves it barely able to walk, unable to find enough food, and unable to flee predators.
Papers are already spouting guff about him being PTS after a ‘horrific fall’ so if they can’t even get those basic facts right, I doubt there’s much hope of placating the anti racing lobby 🙄
Owners Group’s Nickelby, trained by Julie Camacho and previously Charles Hills – was only 2/21 under rules, mostly on the AW but much loved by his many owners. Had colic surgery at the back end of last year and now retired from racing.
In line with Ian’s remarks on the old National coverage, I can remember going back probably 25 years ago, they used to have some absolutely beautiful camera angles when they covered Cheltenham festival, there were a couple in particular that always gave me shivers. Nowadays there’s a lot of meetings where I seem to spend half my time wondering what’s going on in different places, where the rest of the field are, etc.
Ballcrina Girl has apparently had at least another three foals since Getagin – a 2019 Mahler (which I think is called Dawn Supreme?), another Getaway in 2020 and a Crystal Ocean foal in 2021. One can only hope they have more favourable outcomes than this poor lad.
Befair I rode from about five years old. I’ve ridden racehorses away from training, cobs, jumpers and plods. The lad in my profile pic was the pride of my heart for 25 years. It’s a truly incredible feeling when it goes right, and the worst in the world when it goes wrong. I had a broken back and have had a lifetime of pain as proof – but I’d still get back on one tomorrow. It’s the ultimate joy and even though you know the risks, you still do it.
This young man was undoubtedly having the time of his life until the last few seconds when it all went wrong. It’s unspeakably sad. May he rest in peace – and I hope if there’s an afterlife, he’s galloping under the sun on the other side.Moehat, one of the other horses syndicated by the organisation we are with was killed a few years ago on course. I was sitting in my car waiting to pick the kids up from school, watching on my phone, and I can still remember the sense of shock at seeing him go wrong. The owners were all absolutely heartbroken. It’s very tough. I don’t bet on any of mine because I’m always afraid I’ll jinx them somehow.
We have very tiny shares in six syndicates and lost another to colic last year. Although we only ‘own’ a couple of hairs, we do consider them ‘our’ horses and it would be desperately upsetting to see one killed, even though I’ve loved racing and been around horses all my life so I’m well aware of the dangers.
I do agree it could come as a horrible shock to someone who didn’t really follow racing regularly and just got a share as a novel gift idea, then turned up at a course to witness an incident like this. I don’t think the average member of the public has any idea of the attrition rate in NH racing.
I’m in my 50s and have watched racing since I was a kid. Have to say I don’t remember this level of catastrophic breakdowns on the flat, it seems an almost daily occurrence now. I wonder if the change in type is an issue – more ex flat horses rather than the old fashioned NH stores that were put away till six or seven – back in the day, chasers seemed much sturdier somehow.
This is the news you kind of ‘want’ to see here, if that makes sense – a peaceful passing after a long and happy retirement! Such a contrast to the sad ends for so many young horses over the past few days. Condolences to those who loved him but glad that he lived to a good age and had what seems to have been a great life.
