Alan King pays tribute to popular grey Smad Place after minor injury forces retirement
The Barbury Castle trainer has paid a heartfelt tribute to former Hennessy Gold Cup winner Smad Place after he was retired from racing at the age of 11.
POPULAR grey Smad Place has been retired from racing at the age of 11.
Trainer Alan King has paid a superb tribute to the 2015 Hennessy Gold Cup winner, who was set to retire at the end of the season only for an injury to bring forward the decision.
The 11-year-old has won nine races since arriving from France in 2010, including the 2016 Cotswold Chase and the aforementioned Hennessy Gold Cup win, and earned almost £500,000 in prize-money.
He made a successful start to the current campaign in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree in October, but has been well beaten on his two most recent starts at Ascot and Kempton.
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Smad Place has run at the last seven Cheltenham Festivals, including three consecutive appearances in the Gold Cup. He is entered in both the Timico Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase at Prestbury Park in March, but time has been called on his career due to injury.
The trainer told www.alankingracing.co.uk: "Smad Place has damaged his right-fore suspensory ligament and, while it is not too serious, this was always going to be his last season and with it being enough to stop, we have decided to call it a day.
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"It could have been worse - it could have happened earlier in his career.
"Barbury (Castle) won't be the same without him. This year will be the first time that he hasn't gone to Cheltenham for eight years.
"He has been a wonderful horse for us and there are so many magnificent memories. The Hennessy has to be top of the pile - it's one of the iconic races of the season and run at our local course, and to win it was very exciting."
