Age is no barrier to success: remembering a Dad's Army of sprinters

After successes for nine-year-old Watchable at Epsom on Saturday and the year-younger Danzeno at Nottingham on Sunday, here are some other sprinters who could not be pensioned off. While doffing our cap to the likes of Gordon Lord Byron, still going strong in Group races at the age of 11, Tropics, another competitive at that age after finishing second in two July Cups, and So Beloved, still competitive off a rating of 105 at the age of nine, here are five from the vaults.

Hoof It, racing career 2009-2018

This Mick Easterby-trained giant of a sprinter gained fame as much for being owned by golfer Lee Westwood and his former agent Chubby Chandler as when, in his prime as a four-year-old, winning the York Dash and Stewards' Cup under Kieren Fallon. He struggled in Group races off his hiked rating, although he was third in the Haydock Sprint Cup in 2011 and 2013, only to pop up to win the Stewards' Sprint at Goodwood at the age of nine.

Borderlescott, 2004-2015

Northern powerhouse for the Bastiman family, who was retired while still competitive at the age of 13 when officially rated 90. He raced 85 times and was in his prime as a six-year-old in 2008, winning the Group 1 Nunthorpe run at Newmarket in 2008 before winning it again at York the following year. In 2010 he won the Group 2 King George sprint at Glorious Goodwood, and the Beverley Bullet at the age of ten.

Borderlescott wins the Nunthorpe Stakes at York in 2009Credit: Edward Whitaker

Kingsgate Native, 2007-2016

An amazing speedster who started spectacularly and, after failing as a stallion, rose again before being retired, aged 11, with career earnings of over £850,000. Much of that was banked when trained by John Best, who debuted him in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot when he was second at 66-1 before winning the Nunthorpe that year and then the Golden Jubilee at three. He returned to racing with Sir Michael Stoute, where he won the Temple Stakes in 2010 before joining Robert Cowell and winning the race a second time at the age of eight.

View the result and replay of Kingsgate Native's Temple Stakes victory in 2010

The Tatling, 1999-2011

A legend of a sprinter in a 176-race career, remembered as much for his near-misses as his 18 wins, the best of which came in the Group 2 King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot when a seven-year-old for Milton Bradley. A year later he was beaten a head by La Cucaracha in the 2005 Nunthorpe with Ryan Moore dealing with a slipping saddle. Although he raced on to the age of 14 his form did tail off such that when he retired a winner on the all-weather at Wolverhampton he went off a rating of 60.

The Tatling leads the field on his way to King's Stand glory in 2004Credit: Edward Whitaker

Hard To Figure1988-1999

There always has to be a grey in these lists and this one, trained by Ron Hodges, spent most of his career labelled a thoroughly likeable and middling handicapper, finishing in the first three 55 times, of which 17 were wins, across his 138 career starts. Always associated with Bath, Hard To Figure won seven of his 22 runs there and left his best until he was seven when winning the Ayr Gold Cup. His final victory came at Bath as an 11-year-old before retirement two years later.

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