The popular chaser Cue Card will be retired after racing at Sandown Park’s bet365 Jump Finale Day on 28 April, following a career that has spanned an impressive eight years.
Colin Tizzard’s stable star, who is owned by Jean Bishop, will run in the Grade Two bet365 Oaksey Chase at the Surrey racecourse on the final day of the 2017/2018 National Hunt season.
The 12-year-old son of King’s Theatre became a much-loved horse among racing fans following his Betfair Chase and King George VI triumphs under his regular jockey Paddy Brennan, who described him as a “legend”.
“It’s been a rollercoaster with Cue Card. He’s a legend — I got on him quite late in his career and he’s given me some great days. I couldn’t have asked any more from him and it’ll be very hard to find another one,” said Paddy, paying tribute to the special gelding on The Jockey Club’s Love The Jumps podcast.
The jockey partnered Cue Card to six of his careers wins, including two Grade One Betfair Chases and the 2015 King George VI Chase.
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cue card jumps the last on his way to winning at cheltenham 14-3-13
All the action from day three at the Cheltenham Festival (15 March).
Colin’s son, Joe Tizzard, rode Cue Card to success in his early career, after the gelding made his racecourse debut in 2010. The pair went on to triumph at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival in the Ryanair Chase and win the 2013 Betfair Chase at Haydock, before Joe retired from the saddle.
“I think they’ve made the right decision to go to Sandown for the Grade Two,” added Paddy. “Everyone will know it’s his last run and he deserves to go out on a high. It’s nice the public will know it’s going to be his last run and they can say goodbye to him.”
The pair’s previous run was at the Cheltenham Festival in March in the Ryanair Chase, which saw Cue Card pulled up.
“From the minute he jumped off at Cheltenham it wasn’t happening. The ground was very soft but for him it rode heavy,” reflected Paddy. “He just lacked a bit of energy on the day — I think maybe the race at Ascot [in the Betfair Ascot Chase] took a bit more out of him than we took in to account for. However, he’s had a good break and there’s no better man than Colin Tizzard to get him to Sandown in good form.”
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