Ex-racehorse Life: People's Favourite Cue Card Now an Ex-Racehorse!

Hot on the heels of Saint Are's retirement yesterday comes news that another great and charismatic chaser, Cue Card, has run his last race. As his owner, Jean Bishop said, “It's a bit of a shock”, for all of us. For while everyone guessed this would be Cue Card's last season – he is 12 ( the same age as Saint Are) and had not been running with his old brilliance – he was penciled-in for one last farewell race at Sandown at the end of April. A great celebratory goodbye was planned for this most popular of horses, but it was not to be.

Thankfully, it's for the best of reasons – trainer and owner putting the horse's interests first.

Cue Card's trainer, Colin Tizzard, explained: “In the end he wasn't showing the sparkle he's shown. It was a lovely decision to make. He's fit and sound. It's a weight off my mind. It would have been too big a call to race him again. He has been a fantastic horse all the way round. He cantered this morning and jumped. I kept looking at him and thought this is not the Cue Card we know. He had a hard race the other day [when he was pulled up in the Ryanair at the Cheltenham Festival in March] and in any other year we would have turned him out and had him in next season.” But Tizzard saw the writing on the wall. “He's 12 and he was still very good at Ascot, but time is catching up. It's a lovely time to retire him.”

Trainer and owner are in full agreement. Mrs Bishop said “it was not a hard decision because apparently Cue Card has not been working well. Normally we would just leave him to get over it and wait for another race. But because this was his retirement race we decided he wouldn't be 100% so wouldn't be entered.” Mrs Bishop's regret at the end of a glorious time was clear as she added: “It's the end of an era. I felt quite sad about it, but all good things come to an end. We knew it was imminent, but happening like it did was unexpected.” Full marks to her for taking her trainer's advice and drawing stumps. Some owners with a still-wonderfully capable horse might have been tempted to insist on another race or two, or even have changed trainers to one who would be more accommodating, who would try for a few more glory days, even if that meant greater risk for the horse. Mrs Bishop, though, put Cue Card's welfare first and foremost.

Colin Tizzard's relief is evident – and understandable. Cue Card is a huge favourite with the public, a real 'People's Horse', and even non-racing enthusiasts know of him. His flair, his courage, and his gallant come-backs from temporary defeats warmed everyone's hearts. He never lost his will to win, even when battling against far younger rivals. He was a true champion. If he had been raced when not quite right, and been injured, it would have been horrendous for everyone. Fortunately, all involved with this horse think the world of him. And Tizzard for one is also very grateful to him! “He set up my career,” he said, “ he's been my flagbearer. To be fair to him he's paid for a lot of these new buildings that are going up. He's done everything for all of us.”

And, yes, Cue Card has certainly done well for all his connections. He's run in 41 races, including seven times at Cheltenham, and won 16, of which 9 were Grade 1, including the 2010 Champion Bumper, the 2013 Ryanair Chase, 3 Betfair Chases and a King George VI Chase. His prize money winnings total £1,147,454. He's certainly bowing out at the top, and owes nobody anything.

So, what next for Cue Card? Firstly, he will keep his appointment at Sandown races at the end of the month, but to parade before his adoring fans rather than race. There will be many cheers and quite a few moist eyes. And after that – it will be back home, to his own stable and the people who love him most. “He won't leave the farm,” Colin Tizzard affirmed. “He's going to stay here. I'm going to ride him round a bit to keep him active. He can stay here as long as he lives.”

Which is great news for Cue Card. All horses thrive on routine and are most comfortable with the familiar. Some horses that have been in training many years can be unhappy and unsettled in the more relaxed, less structured environment outside racing, and don't always take easily to being inactive domestic pets. Whether Cue Card is one of these or not, it is lovely that he will be ending his days in the place he knows as 'home', surrounded by people who know and love him. And chief among those will be Hamir Singh, who has looked after Cue Card since he arrived in the Tizzard yard as a three-year-old and rides him out every day. Hamir has often been interviewed for TV, beaming proudly as he holds Cue Card's lead-rein. “He's my boy,” he has said many times, his self-effacing voice full of unconcealed affection for the horse. No doubt Hamir was dreading the day retirement came for 'his boy', wondering what would happen and where the horse might go. Well, now he knows; Cue Card is stopping at home, and Hamir Singh will be smiling broadly tonight!