124 races and 21 wins: 'absolute legend' and snow star Berrahri bows out

Berrahri, the popular veteran who won five races on the snow in St Moritz including the prestigious Grosser Preis Von St Moritz in 2019, has been retired.

The 11-year-old won his first race in Switzerland as a four-year-old in 2015 and soon became a standing dish at the unique lakeside track.

Berrahri: versatile campaigner was popular in St Moritz

His joint-trainer John Best has trained him for nine years and he said: "He’s been an absolute legend. He’s not the highest-rated horse but he’s got to be the bravest, most consistent, honest and soundest horse I’ve ever trained.

"He’s been an absolute joy to deal with the whole way through and we’ve been very lucky to have a horse like him.

"When we went out to St Mortiz the swiss racing people would know him really well. They’d say 'there’s Berrahri' – he’s probably won as many as any horse out there."

The versatile Berrahri also recorded victories on the all-weather and on turf varying from firm to soft, and won the Jump Jockeys Derby at Epsom in 2019 and 2021.

He won his last race under David Probert at Chelmsford in March, making all and running the finish out of his rivals in typically bold fashion, and Best credited his professionalism and attitude for a remarkable career.

Berrahri: won 21 races in a remarkable career

"He just loves it when he gets into a battle," he said. "He’s one of those horses who absolutely loves racing, he’s such a professional. It wasn’t that long ago where he’d run two days running and win on the second day.

"When David came back at Chelmsford his first words were 'he’s an absolute legend, I can’t believe he’s done it, after kicking on so far out he just gallops them into the ground' and Hollie said the same thing. You'd have to throw your rulebook out of the window when riding him."

Berrahri will spend his retirement leading the young horses at Best and Karen Jewell's yard in Kent. He retires having won 21 of his 124 starts and earned £219,138 in prize-money.

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