'It's tough going' Rashaan trainer Colin Kidd quits due to financial reasons

Colin Kidd, who recorded four Graded victories with the teak-tough Rashaan, has become the latest small-scale trainer to depart the Irish training ranks citing financial reasons.

Kidd sent out the final runners from his Bagenalastown base in County Carlow at Down Royal last month after reaching the same decision as his uncle John Nicholson, who quit training in January due to a lack of stable staff.

Useful mare Back Of The Pack also provided Kidd with a Grade 3 success at Cork in 2010, a year after he took over the training licence from his father Tom, who died last June.

Kidd said: "Nobody knows what the future holds, but for the foreseeable future I won't be training any more.

"I have no regrets over the decision. It's tough going and from a viability point of view.

Rashaan flew the flag for Colin Kidd's Carlow stable before being sold to race in AmericaCredit: Caroline Norris

He added: "I'm still going to be heavily involved in the horse industry and we have plenty to keep us busy on the farm here with broodmares and young horses. I'm certainly not going to be disappearing anywhere and my gate will be open."

Kidd has fond memories of game dual-purpose performer Rashaan, bought for just €8,500 before winning 13 races for Rachelle and Victor Treacy and Kidd's mother Amy.

The Fairyhouse and Galway festival winner was sold to race in the US a month before pulling up in the Grand National Hurdle at Far Hills for trainer Leslie Young last October.

Kidd, who has had just 13 winners in the last five years across both codes, said of his former stable star: "There have been plenty of trainers out there involved in the game for much longer than me who never found one like him, so I fully appreciate how fortunate we were to get him.

"I knew I was finishing up after selling him and if it wasn't for him I would have stepped back from training a few years before that.

"We were very lucky to have gotten our hands on a horse like him."

If you are interested in this, you should read:

Lack of staff forces John Nicholson to quit training ranks in Ireland

Remarkable Rashaan sold to America after providing Kidd with great memories

Financial pressure forces Grand National-winning jockey Powell to quit training

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