Hedgehunter retires after his fifth Grand National run
Hedgehunter, winner of the 2005 Grand National and runner-up the following year, has been retired.
The 12-year-old came 13th in the Grand National this year — his fifth consecutive run in the Aintree race. Ruby Walsh was in the saddle for four of the five Grand National outings, including the 2005 victory.
Hedgehunter will now live out his retirement at his owner Trevor Hemmings’s home in the Isle of Man.
His trainer Willie Mullins told H&H: “He’s provided me with one of the highlights of my career. He’s been a great horse to have around the yard. He’s a super jumper and has great heart and determination.
“The only race we would have liked to have win again is the National, and at his age and with such high weights it would be an uphill struggle. We thought it would be best to go out on a high.”
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.