Beau bows out

Rathgar Beau has been retired after suffering a recurrence of an old leg problem in the National Lottery Agent Champion Chase at Gowran.

Sir Oj put up an impressive performance to win the Grade Two contest but his triumph was overshadowed by the career-ending injury to Eamonn Sheehy’s talented performer.

Jockey Shay Barry pulled up the 10-year-old before the third-last fence and Sheehy was forced to call time on his stable star’s 50-race career, which was highlighted by his success in last year’s Grade One Kerrygold Champion Chase at Punchestown

“He’s done his off-fore leg again and will not run again,” he explained.

“If he was a younger horse I’d persevere and patch him up and bring him back again, but he’s too old now and it’s not fair on him.

“We’ve had some great days with him though and I’ll be lucky to get one like that again.

“I’m going to give him to the lad who has looked after him for six years because he deserves that.”

There was plenty to like about Sir Oj’s foot-perfect victory though, which puts him in the frame for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 11.

Noel Meade’s gelding, a faller in the Ryanair Chase at the Festival in March, stalked Public Reaction before taking the lead with five fences remaining in the two-mile-two-furlong event, which was won two years ago by Kicking King.

Although he has not run since April, when last at Punchestown, Sir Oj showed no signs of ring-rustiness in the hands of Paul Carberry as he ran on strongly for a length-and-a-half call from the fast-finishing Light On The Broom.

Slim Pickings was third while Euro Leader, Willie Mullins’ 5-2 favourite, failed to troubled the principals.

“He always runs well fresh and he jumped great,” said Meade.

“We won’t over-race him and we’ll probably keep to these sort of races as there are a good number of them during the year.

“We’ll get an invite to the Paddy Power race at Cheltenham, but we’ll have to see what weight we get.”