End of an Era

And so the Star that had shone so brightly,that had lit up every NH season for the past eight years has finally dimmed.The horse that has captured the hearts,not just of racing folk but people from every walk of life,has been honourable and thankfully retired.Yes,battlescarred but still intact,a leg in each corner and everything in between.Here was a horse that almost transcended the sport,he put racing on the back,the front and every other page in between,he was and still is the original racing superstar,as giant is his sphere as Frankel has been in his,a horse of a lifetime,maybe even two lifetimes,in fact we may never see his like again.Without question the best chaser of my racing lifetime,i didnt see Arkle and mores the pity but ive seen them all since.
We will all have our own special memory of him,whether its storming up the Hill to reclaim his Gold Cup crown or smashing up the pretenders around his beloved Kempton or even just his getting up unscathed after his crunching fall around Cheltenhams unforgiving undulations.Mine,i just want to remember him as the best of the bests,the number one,a true great,a giant,a chaser that took the level to a new echelon.
Long and happy retirement.

Er..yes, but there have been some wonderful chasers over the years.

I still fondly remember Pendil for one; the crazy Charlie Poteen, The Dickler,
Tree Tangle, Tingle Creek... Don't forget Dessie!

And there were some great stalwarts in the National-Spanish Steps, the standing dish for quite a few years.

Wasn't there a rather tough old nut (who never fell) called...er...
Red Rum!

The white man's sport. Boom.