Cheltenham Festival winner Marie’s Rock bows out

Middleham Park Racing’s dual Grade One winner retired after fine career.

Marie’s Rock, the first horse owned by Middleham Park Racing to win more than once at the highest level, has been retired.

Trained by Nicky Henderson, the nine-year-old scaled the heights in the spring of 2022, winning the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and the equivalent at the Punchestown Festival.

Her last two outings came on the Flat, showing how versatile she was she was only beaten a head in Listed company at Bath earlier this month.

She will now head to the Doncaster sales as a broodmare prospect having been bought for just EURO 35,000 in 2018.

Tom Palin of Middleham Park said: “She was always going to be a horse who would tell us when it was time and this presents a bit of an opportunity. She’s nine, about to become 10, and she was always going to be going to the breeding sheds at the end of this year, so this gives potential suitors plenty of time.

Marie's Rock with winning members of her syndicate at Cheltenham
Marie’s Rock with winning members of her syndicate at Cheltenham (Nigel French/PA)

“Her run at Bath was testament to her. Two miles, two and a half, three miles all came alike to her over hurdles. She was second in a Grade One over three, she was favourite for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle before injury got in the way and those recent runs on the Flat as well show no challenge was too big.

“She was always a fighter. Quite a few people spoke about her head carriage but it certainly didn’t stop her, that was just her way of doing things. She wore her heart on her sleeve.

“The dream of a syndicate jumps horse is to win at Cheltenham, and she pulled that off. We had such hopes for her as a novice and when she missed that chance with a setback, we never thought it would happen.

“The following year didn’t start so great but that was just her, she gave us some lows but we had the ultimate highs and she provided the members with great days for an insignificant outlay.

“For EURO 35,000 she’s been a remarkable horse for Middleham Park and will be remembered forever. She’s actually the only horse we’ve ever had to date that has won more than one Group or Grade One. We’ve won six and she’s won two, so you could say she’s the best we’ve ever had.”

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