'He was a jumps stalwart in a different way' - popular rogue and serial refusenik Mad Moose dies at age of 21

Mad Moose, the popular rogue and serial refusenik who developed a cult following, has died at the age of 21.

Owned by Middleham Park Racing and trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, Mad Moose officially refused to race five times, but on plenty of other occasions he was either reluctant to start and finished tailed off or pulled himself up.

However, he showed plenty of talent when he consented to race, winning seven times in all on the Flat, over hurdles and fences. He also took his connections to some of the biggest meetings in Britain, including the Cheltenham Festival.

After a suspension from racing was lifted, Mad Moose lined up to contest the 2014 International Hurdle at Cheltenham but his old habits resurfaced as he planted at the start and refused to race and he was then retired. 

He had an active post-racing career, including taking part in the Retraining of Racehorses parade at Aintree.

Middleham Park's director of racing Tim Palin said: "Whenever we thought we'd got to know him inside out, he reminded us who was in charge. He took us on a rollercoaster of a journey. He was seen and adored by the public for a long time.

"The beauty of the jumps is the public can identify with stalwarts, but he was one of them in a different way. He may have some of jump racing's most memorable moments, albeit not for the right reasons!"

Mad Moose's best performance over jumps on Racing Post Ratings came when he finished second to Sprinter Sacre in the rearranged 2013 Victor Chandler Chase at Cheltenham. He also finished runner-up in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes at Chester that year.

Palin said: "He'll be remembered for refusing to race, but that Victor Chandler is my biggest memory. He nicked 25 lengths on the field and nothing got past him apart from one of the greatest jumps horses.

"We then thought we'd try the Flat and he hosed up in his maiden before his Chester run. Then, just when we thought he had control, he went to York and typically refused! He was definitely a character."

Read these next:

Mad Moose: the serial refusenik who drove his team crazy and his fans wild 

'He's a Grade 1 Mad Moose' - and that's his owner speaking! 

'We'll be ready this year!' - Nicky Henderson makes Constitution Hill vow after full MOT that even included 'equine Specsavers' 

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