Cheltenham Gold Cup contender on road back from injury retired after 'backward step'

Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Chianti Classico has been retired after taking a ‘backward step’ on his road to recovery from serious injury. The eight-year-old winner of four of his seven starts over fences made his biggest breakthrough when he captured the Ultima Handicap Chase at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.

In November last year he shouldered 12st to victory in a £100,000 handicap chase at Ascot, where his part owner Sir Francis Brooke is chairman and ‘His Majesty’s Representative’. But after his next start at Cheltenham in December he finished lame on his left-hind and was found to have suffered a torn tendon, which is often career-ending for racehorses.

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Trainer Kim Bailey shared more positive news of Chianti Classico over the summer as the horse returned to light work but the latest news was not good.

“Sadly, I have to announce that we've decided to retire Chianti Classico,” he posted in his blog.
“We all had a great visit to Enda Bolger's stables last week to see him cantering and although everything looked to be going in the right direction, CC took a backward step earlier this week, and we don't need backward steps.

“The welfare of the horse is the most important thing, and, on that note, we've decided the most sensible thing to do is retire him and let him have a wonderful life away from racing, which I'm sure he will.”

He went on: “Chianti Classico has given us the most unbelievable journey. Francis Brooke and Richard Pilkington became involved with CC after Aiden Murphy and I bought him off Ben Halsall at the Newmarket Cheltenham Tattersalls sales. Since then, he has just been an absolute revelation, an absolute star for us.

"Obviously, the highlight of his career for us was winning the Ultima Chase at Cheltenham in 2024. How can we ever forget that unbelievable moment? But in many respects, one of his greatest runs for me was when he won the Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot last November, carrying top weight.

“We were all there at Ascot that day, and as we all know, Francis Brooke is ‘His Majesty's representative of Ascot’, and to all stand and watch CC win from his balcony was a moment of sheer joy for all of us.

“Whatever happens in horses' lives, we always want the best for them. And the decision has not been taken lightly, but it's the right thing for the horse."

Bailey added: “It has been a joy and an honour to have had CC around and here to train..we all just loved his exuberance for life and racing. A one off. Very sad, but we look back with great memories. A great record, 14 starts, 8 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third..

“His picture can now take pride of place on the wall in my office, which is something I wasn't looking forward to putting up as they only go on the wall when they retire, but what a life, what a horse, and what pleasure he has given us all.”