Three-times Cheltenham World Hurdle winner Inglis Drever has died, at the age of ten.

The Howard Johnson-trained racehorse was put down this morning (Friday 16 October) after suffering a serious bout of colic.

The horse underwent surgery yesterday after being found lying in a field at his owner’s home in Northumberland.

Inglis Drever, who retired in January after sustaining a hock injury in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November 2008, won 17 races and nearly £800,000 during his career.

He retired to owner Graham Wylie’s stud in Northumberland.

“Without a doubt he’d be number one when it comes to horses I’ve trained,” Mr Johnson told press.

“He’s been a fantastic servant to me and the yard — you could always tell when he was right and he was a peach to train.

“It’s very upsetting and I’ve said to Mr Wylie that we’ll get the horse cremated and get him back into what I call the ‘Millionaire’s Field’ in front of our house.

“He used to love it in there, and spent his summers in there every year since he arrived, so I think we should bury his ashes in there.”

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Three-time Cheltenham World Hurdle winner Inglis Drever has been retired.

The Graham Wylie-owned racehorse’s future had been uncertain since he sustained a hock injury in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last November.

Trainer Howard Johnson had originally hoped that Inglis Drever would be back to defend his crown at this year’s Festival, and he was entered into the race.

But today (Wednesday 21 January) Mr Johnson announced that the horse would not be returning to the track.

Lucy Forbes, Howard Johnson’s daughter and secretary, told H&H: ‘We retired him today and he will be heading up to Northumberland to live with Mr Wylie. He will be happy up there sharing a paddock with Lord Transcend.

“We tried to work him on the road on the vet’s advice but he really wasn’t happy as soon as we put the tack on him.

“Maybe after he’s had time to relax and had a few months sun on his back then he’ll feel like being ridden again but we’ll do whatever is best for him.

“The vet has given him the all clear to be ridden — his X-ray came back 100% clear — but it depends what the little character wants to do!

“Howard had already half made his mind up as he’s such a lovely horse. There are too many good horses that are run once too often and it ends in a sad way — and we couldn’t have that happen to him. He’s given us all so much and he didn’t deserve it.

“Howard will be sad when he goes though as he’s been such a great horse.”

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The future of racehorse Inglis Drever is yet to be decided after he suffered a leg injury at Newbury last weekend.

The three-time Cheltenham World Hurdle winner will spend at least six weeks on box rest before trainer Howard Johnson and owner Graham Wylie decide whether he will retire or return to training.

Inglis Drever was pulled up by jockey Denis O’Regan while attempting to win his fourth Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury’s Hennessy meeting last Saturday (29 November).

He was found to have partially slipped a tendon off his near hind hock.

Howard Johnson’s daughter Lucy Forbes told H&H: “ We are literally waiting to see what happens — all we know at the moment is that he needs 6 weeks’ box rest.

“The tendon has not totally come off and he’s been checked by the vet again yesterday and is happy in himself.

“We will be taking him to an equine spa at the end of his rest period as if he is retired he needs to be well enough to hack out — he’s not the type of horse to want to stay in.

“He’s a little monkey and likes to be busy.”

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When Inglis Drever first ran at Cheltenham, Master Minded wasn’t even a year old. But today, four years later, they were the stars of a gargantuam 10-race card at the Cheltenham Festival, more than making amends for the disappointment of Wednesday’s abandonment.

The old warrior, Inglis Drever, thrashed out a tight victory over the French-trained Kasbah Bliss to become the first horse to win three Ladbrokes World Hurdles (formerly the Stayers’ Hurdle) for trainer Howard Johnson, owner Graham Wylie and jockey Denis O’Regan. The 11-8 favourite, who won this race in 2005 and 2007, may return once more to defend his crown in 2009.

“We might come back for one more next year but he won’t have a lot more races,” said Howard Johnson.

And the new kid, Master Minded, put up a simply awesome performance to sweep aside a good field in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase. Officially a five-year-old, but with an April foaling date, this precocious French import didn’t touch a twig on his way to a 19-length win over last year’s champions, Voy Por Ustedes and H&H columnist Chocolate Thornton. Whatever happens to Kauto Star tomorrow, owner Clive Smith must surely be the luckiest man in racing to have two such remarkable horses.

Trainer Paul Nicholls said: “I’m gobsmacked. I know he’s been improving at home. He’s obviously a hugely talented horse, just incredible.”

AP McCoy and Jonjo O’Neill got off the mark for the week when Alberta’s Run took the Royal & SunAlliance Chase comfortably from Roll Along, and that old Cheltenham stalwart, 10-year-old Our Vic, was a bold, front-running winner of the Ryanair Chase for Timmy Murphy and David Pipe.

And the year-older Mister McGoldrick caught punters napping when he galloped to a confident victory in the Racing Post Plate at 66-1. It was trainer Sue Smith and jockey Dominic Elsworth’s first Cheltenham Festival winner.

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According to his groom, Inglis Drever has got perfect manners and is one of the toughest, bravest and most popular hurdlers in training.

The nine-year-old bay gelding is by In The Wings, out of Cormorant Creek (by Gorytus). He was a 130,000-guinea yearling, and sold as a four-year-old for 110,000gns.

He won four times on the flat when trained by Sir Mark Prescott for Piers Pottinger and has won 12 times out of his 20 hurdle runs. Only twice has he finished worse than third, with one fourth and a fall to round off his career.

Inglis Drever’s big wins

• 2005 Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial, Haydock
• 2005 Axminster Kingwell Hurdle, Wincanton
• 2005 Ladbrokes World Hurdle, Cheltenham
• 2005 John Smith’s Hurdle, Wetherby
• 2005 Ballymore Properties Long Distance Hurdle, Newbury
• 2006 VC Casino.com Long Distance Hurdle, Newbury
• 2007 Ladbrokes World Hurdle, Cheltenham
• 2007 Totesport.com Long Distance Hurdle, Newbury
• 2008 Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle, Cheltenham

Read H&H’s racing interview in today’s magazine (14 February, ’08)

Inglis Drever (5-1) ran his heart out to win the Grade One World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival for the second time in his career.

The Howard Johnson-trained gelding was being scrubbed along in the early stages as Lough Derg set a sensible pace up front.

When Fire Dragon took up the running halfway through the race Inglis Drever still appeared to be struggling. However, with four flights left to jump, Paddy Brennan’s hard work paid off as the son of In The Wings came back on the bridle, weaving his way through the field to take up the running.

He was pushed all the way to the line by Mighty Man, but showed real determination to hang on for a memorable victory. Mighty Man ran well for second, with Blazing Bailey occupying the third spot.

There was yet more disaster for favourite backers when 2-1 jolly Black Jack Ketchum took a horrible fall at only the second flight. Jonjo O’Neill’s runner was soon up on his feet, but AP McCoy looked despondent as he sat by the side of the track.

• For in-depth analysis of the Cheltenham Festival, don’t miss next week’s (22 March) Horse & Hound

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