'He was an absolute joy to train' - popular northern jumper Aye Right retired with 'relentless' handicap mark a factor

Popular northern jumps stalwart Aye Right has been retired at the age of 11, with his "relentless" handicap mark one of the reasons connections have called time on his career.

Trained initially by Harriet Graham before Gary Rutherford joined the licence in 2022, Aye Right was a mainstay in big handicap chases in Britain. He won the 2021 Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle and also made the frame in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, the Great Yorkshire Chase and Coral Gold Cup.

Owned by Geoff and Elspeth Adam, he finished fourth in Kelso's Premier Chase in March on his last run, but with a chase rating of 150 and hurdles mark of 146, connections have drawn stumps on his racing career.

"He's the soundest horse we've ever trained, but the handicapper was relentless with him, especially over the last year or two," Graham said. 

"It did have a bit of an influence on retiring him because he's so well and could definitely have done another year in the veterans' series, but not if he was doing it with the same weights as he was before.

"It was going to be a theme that carried on and you feel it's unfair to keep asking him to do that. We always said he owed nobody anything. We got to run in a Cheltenham Gold Cup too and he was an absolute joy to train. I'm so grateful the owners gave him to us instead of a bigger yard."

Harriet Graham: enjoyed some high-profile days with Aye RightCredit: John Grossick Racing

Graham highlighted Aye Right's Newcastle triumph as one of her fondest memories, especially given the treacherous journey they had from their Scottish Borders base.

"That day was a story in itself. We didn't even think we were going to get there," Graham said. "All the roads were closed and we had to use a chainsaw to get up to the main road. The lights were out in Newcastle too and we couldn't get out of Ponteland – it was just chaos.

"He nearly got pipped at the post as well by a horse who then plunged in the handicap, whereas we went up and up. He always ran with his heart on his sleeve. 

"He was a brilliant racehorse and will be staying at Geoff and Elspeth's place for the rest of his days, where he'll be hacked around the hills."

Aye Right retires with eight wins from 36 career starts and earned £251,741 in prize-money.

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