Moscow Flyer back at Punchestown

Just under six weeks after his retirement, Moscow Flyer was back at the racecourse and strutting his stuff before an adoring crowd at the Punchestown Festival.

The dual Queen Mother Champion Chase hero ran his final race at Cheltenham last month when finishing an honourable fifth behind Newmill following a fruitless season.

Jessica Harrington’s 12-year-old’s unbeaten run when completing over fences came to end at this meeting 12 months ago when he was nailed on the line by Rathgar Beau, with the judge taking 10 minutes to call the result of a desperately close photo-finish.

The veteran, who has superstar status in his homeland, was then beaten on all three of his subsequent starts before connections brought the curtain down on his illustrious career.

The champion was paraded before the Kerrygold Champion Chase ahead of an afternoon spent posing for photographs and being greeted by his fans.

After watching ‘Moscow’ walking around the paddock to a light ripple of applause, Harrington said: “He is loving being here – just look at him.

“He is in great order and I would love to have another with legs as good as his.

“He is dying to get back racing but I didn’t want to go a race too far with him.

“He owes nobody anything and it is just lovely to have him around. He has retired in one piece with no problems and he is totally healthy.

“He has been out in the paddock every day since Cheltenham and has been on the walker the last few days to get him ready for coming here.”

Moscow Flyer will be heading off to the Irish Horse Welfare Trust in Wicklow for the summer, where Harrington is a patron.

“He will spend the summer there and act as their flagship and he will be their main representative.”