Scottish Grand National hero Takingrisks retired to spend days as a hack

Takingrisks, winner of the 2019 Scottish Grand National, has been retired from racing days before his 13th birthday after pulling up in the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on Sunday.

The Nicky Richards-trained stalwart will remain at Greystoke to spend the rest of his days as a hack, a role he has become familiar with in recent years.

Takingrisks was in his pomp at the veteran stage of his career which began over hurdles at Ayr in 2015 and enjoyed his finest hour at the same track four years later when springing a 25-1 surprise in the Scottish Grand National at the expense of Crosspark and Cloth Cap.

As well as that Grade 3 win, Takingrisks earned Listed victories in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle in 2019 and Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster as recently as January.

Richards said: “After having a chat with his owner Frank Bird, Takingrisks has been retired but will be remaining at Greystoke to be used as a hack, a job he knows well as he’s been doing it for the past five years. It will be normal service for him, if you like, without going racing.”

Takingrisks was the winner of six of his 24 chases and also scored three times over hurdles after being bought by Richards for €35,000 at Punchestown as a five-year-old.

Richards said: “We put the blinkers on him at Wetherby hoping it just might spark him up, but you could see going out on to the second circuit that he wasn’t enjoying it. In the end, Sean Quinlan, who loves the horse, decided to pull him up which was the right decision.”

National heroes: Sean Quinlan, owner Frank Bird and trainer Nicky Richards with their Scottish Grand National trophiesCredit: Grossick Racing

Paying tribute to connections, he added: “Frank Bird is an absolute gentleman who is a businessman close to Penrith and the horse has been brilliant for him and has given local people a lot of interest.

"He won three major handicaps over fences but you’d have to say the Scottish National was the icing on the cake.”

Looking to the future, Richards said: “We always try and find this type of horse a nice home and we still have Noble Alan at Greystoke, so they get looked after, no doubt about it, as they’ve looked after us. It’s brilliant when you can retire them in one piece, which is the main thing.“

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