Legendary ‘warrior’ racehorse who famously won Cheltenham Gold Cup retired

THE 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo has been retired from racing after a memorable seven-year career.

Trained in Co Waterford by Henry de Bromhead since 2018, he retires aged 12 with three Grade 1 wins under his belt.

Minella Indo won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2021

He made 27 starts under Rules, winning eight times including his famous, career-defining win at the Cheltenham Festival four years ago.

It capped an incredible four days for his trainer, who saddled six winners at the meeting which was held behind closed doors during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He netted earnings of £835,131 during his career and his final start came in the Grand National in April, when he finished ninth behind Nick Rockett.

The popular gelding had finished third at Aintree the previous season, and his final win came in the Irish Daily Star Chase at Punchestown in October 2023.

He won twice at the Cheltenham Festival, including a win in the 2019 Albert Bartlett, and it could easily have been three had he not been caught close home by Champ in the 2020 RSA Chase.

But he will most fondly be remembered for his defeat of stablemate A Plus Tard in the Gold Cup, when he galloped home relentlessly up the hill under Jack Kennedy to win at 9-1.

More to follow…