Champion trainer Tony Mullins says his star mare Princess Zoe will likely retire at the end of the year.
"I'd say this pretty much will be her last year. She's a group one winner and she's a very valuable mare to go to stud.
"She had a very hard time as a young mare. They raced her on quite fast ground in Germany and it has jarred her old bones. We train on sea sand which is very soft - we rotavate it and make it deep - and I think that's been a help to her.
"But there's only so many miles on the clock, and she's six years old now so I'd say this will be her last season - I hope not - but I think it will be."
Tony was speaking to us after an incredible Cheltenham Festival, which saw brother Willie crowned Best Trainer, Waterford's Henry de Bromhead take home Gold Cup success with Minella Indo, and Rachel Blackmore become the first woman ever to win Best Jockey.
"I remember Dawn Run years ago and what she did for a nation in those dreary middle 80s and now in this worrying time of COVID to get a lift like this.
"It does rise people, even if they're not into racing to see their neighbours doing well, it's a great personal lift."
Colreevy wins for the Flynn family Dungarvan. I don’t know when the Hotel opens again but keep a room for me. This will be some party 🎉🎉🎉
— Tony Mullins (@tonymullins84) March 19, 2021
And despite the disappointment of Willie's Al Boum Photo unable to join the likes of Arkle in capturing a third consecutive Gold Cup title, the overall achievement by the region means smiles all round after a last few difficult weeks with racing under the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
"Al Boum Photo ran a very good race, but it was a disappointment to be third, there's no use trying to disguise that.
"I think the important thing to take from this meeting is the emergency of Henry de Bromhead and Rachel Blackmore is now a sensation, who has just floored everybody's opinion of divided lady and male jockeys.
"The one thing that Ireland are the best at in the world, are horses. We're a very small country and then for the South-East to be so dominant this week, we really are the best horse people in the world, and I'm very proud of it."
You can hear our full chat with Tony below.
