"He’s been the horse of a lifetime” - owner says Sire De Grugy has run final race

Former Champion Chase winner Sire De Grugy has almost certainly run his last race, his tearful owner Steve Preston revealed at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Preston openly wept in the area for also-rans at the home of jump racing after his pride and joy, who won the 2014 Champion Chase and two Tingle Creeks in a decorated seven-year career, trailed home sixth of seven runners in the Junior Jumpers Handicap Chase won by Gino Trail.

The caveat to the 17-time winner not being retired would be if trainer Gary Moore, who was not present, found any medical reason for why the once best two-miler in the land had again underperformed.

Preston is resigned to Sire De Grugy having run his final race and said the day was a mix of sadness and relief.

“Sire’s done everything he could possibly do for anyone, he’s been the horse of a lifetime,” he said. “We have had a wonderful journey and it’s fantastic he’s bowing out in one piece.

“Today was the test to see if he could bounce back from (his previous defeat at) Ascot and still compete at what was in his old days a lot lower level than he has run before.

"He carried a stone more than everybody but finished more than a stone behind everybody so I think his days as a racehorse are very much numbered, but that he’s going to have a lovely rest of his life.

“There’s no point in pushing him any harder. He’s achieved everything you could possibly wish for. It must be almost unprecedented because he’s been our only ever horse. Even if you owned 30 or 40, I don’t think you could be as lucky to own one like him.

“He’s been showing at home that his appetite is as strong as ever but I think his aches and pains have got a bit too much for him. He’s going to stay with Jamie (Moore, his regular jockey) and the Moores. He’s been my icon horse and I hope he has for them.”

Sire De Grugy was ridden on the racecourse and at home by Jamie Moore thoughout his career and announced himself as a smart performer when landing the Grade Two Dovecote Novices Hurdle back in in 2011. He proved even better over fences and won the Celebration Chase as a novice in 2013, when mastering Finian’s Rainbow.

The following season he was flawless, winning the Tingle Creek, Clarence House Chase, Desert Orchid Chase, Champion Chase and Celebration Chase in successive races.

Preston calculates he missed only three or four of Sire De Grugy’s 42 races but there was always a friend or family member on hand to cheer him on.

Asked to pick out a highlight, he said: “Our biggest celebration was when he won his first Celebration Chase as a novice - it was entirely unexpected. The following season he was phenomenal and won everything - how many other horses have won those five in the same season?”

Sire De Grugy won a second Tingle Creek in 2015 and ran numerous other tremendous races in defeat - including when runner-up to Un De Sceaux in last year’s brilliant renewal of the Tingle Creek.

In total, he won 17 of his 42 races and accumulated £885,000 in prize money - not bad for a horse who was a 50th birthday present for his racing mad owner.

“He’s had lot of injuries and an arthritic condition since he was six but he has never ever done anything than give 100 per cent,” Preston said. “Through all those problems, he has always bounced back.

“We came into this for fun, hopefully on a Saturday but maybe midweek trapping around in handicap races, and he has changed a lot of people’s lives and brought us closer together. We can’t pay him enough respect or thank him enough for that.”