Veteran sprinter The Tatling brought the curtain down on his racing career with a fairytale victory at Wolverhampton.
The 14-year-old, who won the 2004 King’s Stand, bowed out a winner over 1000 metres at his 176th and final racecourse appearance on Monday.
After settling back in the field, The Tatling came with a late run to snatch his 18th win by a short head.
“I know it was only a small race, but what a wonderful story,” trainer Milton Bradley said.
“The horse is still a star in our eyes.
“He’s one of those you drop on by mistake and spend the rest of your life looking for another one half as good.
“We learnt how he liked to come through horses and use that turn of foot in the last furlong. That’s how he won the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“When we went there we thought if we finish in the first half we’ll be lucky and then for him to go and win it and win it quite easily was something marvellous.
“He’s been a marvellous servant for everyone involved with him.
“A lot of the people who try to tell you what to do really don’t understand your horse.
“If the horse didn’t like racing and wanted to be retired two years ago, we’d have done it.
“We tried to retire him and he didn’t want to know. He was so miserable.
“We’re going to have to be very cautious now how we treat him as he won’t want to be left without going out and seeing life.
“Nobody is more excited about the win than I am.”
PA AAP TURF
