CROCKED star Sizing John has been retired following another injury setback.
Jessie Harrington’s brilliant chaser has only managed four starts since his Cheltenham Gold Cup win three years ago.
He won five times at the highest level, including the Irish Gold Cup and Punchestown Gold Cup during a memorable 2017 campaign.
He had one start over hurdles last term at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve, but he suffered a nasty fall.
The 10-year-old was being prepared for a comeback run at Listowel this weekend, but Harrington revealed he had suffered a fresh injury and that time had been called on his career.
She said: “As of today he is officially retired. Unfortunately he gave himself an injury this morning.
“It’s not life threatening, but he won’t be able to run this weekend. He did his last gallop before Sunday and it just went wrong after that.
“We have decided we have had enough comebacks with him and that he can go and have a happy retirement. I’m pretty sure he will stay with me.”
The Harrington team have worked hard to get the horse back on track over the past few years.
And while it’s a battle they have lost, they have some special memories to look back on.
Harrington continued: “We have done a lot of work with him, he ran on New Year’s Eve and he unfortunately fell and hurt himself.
“I felt very sad this morning ringing up the Potts’ this morning saying finally we would have to retire him.
“It was very special when he won the Gold Cup. It was magical, you don’t need an aeroplane to bring you home when things like that happen to you.
“Ann and Alan Potts achieved their goal and he actually won three Gold Cups that year.”
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