The massively well-liked veteran racehorse Two For Gold has been retired from racing on the age of 13. Skilled by H&H columnist Kim Bailey and his assistant turned co-trainer Mat Nicholls, the gelding received 11 instances in a outstanding profession spanning greater than eight years, throughout which he ran 36 instances – an impressive 36% successful strike fee.
Two For Gold additionally completed second six instances and got here third twice, participating within the 2022 Grand Nationwide and on the Cheltenham Pageant, accruing over £287,000 in prize cash for house owners, the Could We By no means Be Discovered Out Partnership 2.
Kim Bailey writes in Horse & Hound this week: “All in all, he has been a most outstanding horse to be concerned with.”
Kim Bailey on Two For Gold: “He has a really outstanding document”
Two For Gold was bred by Neil Tector and is a son of Gold Effectively. He made a successful debut in a Southwell bumper in 2017 below conditional jockey Richard Condon and returned to the winner’s enclosure two months later at Doncaster with Mikey Hamill within the saddle.
The next season he launched into a hurdling profession earlier than going chasing and it was with jockey David Bass that he posted a glittering 9 successes.
A Grade Two victory at Warwick and the Fleur Du Lys at Lingfield are simply a number of the highlights of Two For Gold’s racing profession and he grew to become a fantastic campaigner of the massively well-liked veterans’ races lately.
“A very outstanding document,” stated Kim Bailey of the yard favorite who he has described as “a humorous outdated horse and a unusual particular person”. “He’ll now take pleasure in an exquisite and really effectively deserved retirement.”
Making certain the way forward for Two For Gold and different retired racehorses
Kim Bailey went on to clarify the significance of safeguarding the way forward for all racehorses once they retire from the game.
“After we retire our horses, they go together with a non-racing settlement,” he defined of the system in place at his Gloucestershire coaching yard. “The individuals who take them on are closely vetted by my spouse Clare, and the situations are very clear: the horse have to be correctly taken care of, we have to be stored knowledgeable of how they’re getting on, and there needs to be ongoing communication. We by no means promote our retired horses, as a result of when you promote a horse, you lose all management. This fashion, we retain some affect over their future.
“Racing has absolute duty to take care of its horses when their racing careers finish, however when you think about what number of horses retire yearly, it’s simple to see what a problem that is for trainers and house owners alike.”
You’ll be able to learn extra from Kim Bailey on this week’s Horse & Hound, the journal is in retailers on Thursday, 12 February.
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Credit score: Peter Nixon
Kim Bailey
Credit score: Invoice Selwyn
Credit score: Future
H&H showjumping editor
Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her function as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her all over the world reporting from reveals and interviewing riders, connections and people concerned behind the scenes. Since becoming a member of H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on each topic throughout the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to secure administration — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She additionally has first-hand expertise of working within the equestrian trade as a driving teacher and yard supervisor.
