The decision has been made for Mister McGoldrick to be retired at Wetherbys Boxing Day meeting.
Sue Smith phoned me about ten days ago to say it was time to seriously consider the right time to retire McG and she suggested Wetherbys Boxing Day meeting as an ideal time and place to officially end his career.
My first reaction was that of shock and sadness, but it didn`t take long for those feelings to turn to relief and contentment in the knowledge that this wonderful horse of mine had run his 91st and last race, and survived, unscathed to enjoy a long, active and happy retirement.
I was very much aware that had we kept him going, his chances of winning a race aged 14/15 and off a handicap mark of 133 and taking on younger horses in their prime, was always going to be an extremely big ask, which prompted the unthinkable thought in my mind of the one race too many scenario, and having to live with the consequences.
Veterans races were therefore a preferred option in our plans to keep him racing, and a repeat of his 2010 success in the Huntingdon veterans race of 2011 was originally in our minds until we learnt that Huntingdon racecourse had withdrawn this annual event from their programming plans.
This left an end of year veterans race at Haydock, which most likely, win or lose, would have been his final race, especially as he won his very first ever race there on the 22nd Sept 2000.
But I finally came to agree with Sue that there was no need for him to retire in a blaze of glory IF ….and it would have been a big IF…he had raced, and won at Haydock.
It was then that I began to agree with Sues suggestion wholeheartedly…..I had always told her it would be her decision when to retire him anyway…..and what better place to celebrate such a distinguished career than at Wetherby racecourse, Mister McGoldricks spiritual home, where he won a magnificent EIGHT of his FIFTEEN career successes including TWO Castleford Chases.
Jonjo Sanderson and his staff at Wetherby have always been great fans of the old boy…and made me most welcome as well !! so now that I`ve come to terms with the fact that McG`s racing days are over, I can relax and enjoy the old boys “send off” that will happen there on Boxing Day.
So its the end of an era for McG and everyone involved with him, but its nice to know that after 91 races he retires fit and well and best of all unscathed and non the worse for all his magnificent efforts.
There will be more “add ons” to this blog over the next few days, but in the meantime I would love to hear from anyone who has followed Mister McGoldricks career over the years and would like to add a comment. Just click on the “add comment” link below.
