RACING: The 1995 Stayers Hurdle champion Dorans Pride will officially be retired at Ballinrobe tonight, writes Brian O'Connor
It is over nine years since the horse, who twice finished third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, won the first race of a remarkable career at the Co Mayo track.
That was the first of 30 victories on the flat, over hurdles and over fences, a run that made Dorans Pride one of the most popular racehorses of the past decade. Yesterday, trainer Michael Hourigan was heartfelt in his praise of the 13-year-old star.
"He has had a huge impact on my career and brought me places I'd never thought I'd be in. He has come through everything,including a colic, and come out with four sound legs and not a mark on him.
"The biggest buzz came the day he won at Cheltenham. He had gone from strength to strength that year and before the race I couldn't see him being beat. Sure enough, he came down the hill like a train.
"The worst day was at Naas (January 1998) when he finished last. And the other day I remember was when my son, Paul, won on him," Hourigan said.
That was Dorans Pride's last victory, coming at Clonmel in November of 2000, and just a fortnight after he had won the Leopardstown November Handicap.
On the home front, the horse also won the Hennessy, the Ericsson and the Power Gold Cup as a novice. Dorans Pride was also a Grade One operator over hurdles, and an intense rivalry with Danoli highlighted the Irish racing scene for a number of seasons.
"The regret is he never won the Gold Cup, but the best horse often doesn't win the Gold Cup. He was very unlucky in 1998 when he tore a hole in the third last and still finished third. The winner (Cool Dawn) couldn't even win a point-to-point here, so it proves the best horse doesn't always win," Hourigan added.
Dorans Pride's last start was an eighth placing in Sandown's Gold Cup in April, and he will spend his retirement at Hourigan's Limerick yard.
There is no doubt the veteran star will be the most famous "name" at Ballinrobe, even with Barney Curley declaring Cabo Salinas for the nine furlong handicap.
A second-last placing behind Quick Date at Killarney last week is hardly encouraging, however, and it could be that Ardwelshin will follow up a success at the Kerry festival.
Michael Grassick's runners were in fine form at Killarney and Major Title's official 8lb rating superiority to the others in the auction maiden makes a convincing case for the run to continue.
Sineogron won't start the 25 to 1 she was made at the Curragh last time out in the two year old maiden. The form of her third to Luminata reads pretty well now, too, and she can kick things off successfully for Philip Carberry.
Darryll Holland was referred to the Jockey Club after being found guilty of careless riding aboard All Business, winner of the Swallow Foods Maiden Stakes at Lingfield on Saturday evening, and he could now be facing a lengthy ban.
As Holland has already been suspended from riding for a total of 15 days for interference within the last 12 months, the stewards referred the matter to the Jockey Club under the totting-up procedure.
