Cape Gentleman set to enjoy happy retirement in America
Cape Gentleman will head to America to spend his retirement with owner Pierre Manigault having sustained a career-ending injury in the Randox Grand National.
Trained by John ‘Shark’ Hanlon, the seven-year-old was sent off at 100-1 for the Aintree marathon and was looking to follow in the footsteps of Sergeant Murphy who stormed to victory for Manigault’s great uncle, Stephen ‘Laddie’ Sandford in 1923.
Despite taking to the unique jumping test the famous spruce presents, Cape Gentleman struck into himself in between obstacles and was swiftly pulled up by jockey Jody McGarvey before the 14th.
Cape Gentleman was transferred to Liverpool Equine Hospital post-race and Hanlon has confirmed that although the gelding will not race again, he is set for what will be a happy retirement with his owner in South Carolina.
“He’s gone to the clinic in Liverpool and he will be operated on. His racing career is finished, but he will be saved,” said Hanlon.
“He will be coming back to me for five or six months and then he is going on to America to be retired with his owner.
“He is a very good owner and it is the first horse I have had for the man and we were all very upset yesterday. But he still had his head with him and he wanted the horse to live and said ‘we have plenty of land, he can have a good life over with me’. It’s a very good outcome.
Cape Gentleman having a roll this morning before the Randox Grand National@AintreeRaces @TheJockeyClub pic.twitter.com/4320BdAn2q
— Shark Hanlon Racing (@jhanlonracing) April 15, 2023
“I would probably like to be out there myself because there is probably more sun than there would be in Ireland. I would say it is a good retirement and fair do’s to the man who owns him for allowing it to happen.”
Hanlon was also keen to stress how the injury sustained by Cape Gentleman had little to do with the race itself and was simply an unfortunate incident which could have happened anywhere – while also praising the veterinary team on-site at Aintree for their swift action and care.
“He stuck into himself, it wasn’t over a fence, he had jumped brilliantly,” continued the trainer.
“It happened on the flat and that could happen out in the field at home. It was nothing to do with the race, it could happen in your own field.
“The very minute the horse got hurt the vets were there with him. He was brought back into the stable yard, he was bandaged up and was in no pain and then taken to the clinic. From the moment the horse got his injury, the horse came first as it should.
The Irishman was also keen to condemn the animal rights activists who delayed the start of the National by almost 15 minutes.
Hanlon added: “It probably shouldn’t have happened (the protests), but listen you had thousands of people watching the Grand National and you had 150 eejits trying to stop it.
“That’s my thoughts on it and no matter what game you are at you are going to have begrudgers and those who don’t understand it. Definitely the people who were doing that yesterday don’t understand racing and don’t understand how these horses are cared for.
“Overall the last three days in Liverpool were absolutely brilliant and it is a credit to Aintree the way they had the ground and the way everything was done.”
