Heltornic retired

Heltornic, winner of the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock last season, has been retired due to injury.

The seven-year-old mare suffered a recurrence of an injury she picked up when falling at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Trained by Michael Scudamore, she was being prepared for a crack at the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury next weekend but will now head to the paddocks.

“It was a privilege to be associated with such a mare,” said assistant trainer Peter Scudamore.

“She was very tough and if her off-spring are anything like as tough as she is, they will be very good.

“Obviously it is a blow, we were hoping she would run a very big race in the Hennessy but at the end of the day the most important thing is that she is a broodmare and can go to stud.

“She sustained a cut when she fell at the festival in March and this was reaggravated. We decided it was best not to risk her and she will stay here until we decide which stallion she will go to,” he told the Racing Post.