IT was a sad day at Cheltenham on Sunday. Not because Sprinter Sacre retired. That was a celebration. His retirement announced at Cheltenham, the hallowed amphitheatre at which he had been seen at his shimmering best, at which he had won his Arkle and his Champion Chases. Paraded in front of an adoring public and appreciated for the superstar that he was. The perfect racehorse, they said.

It was an appropriate send-off, and now he can stroll happily into retirement, no doubt to appear again for parades at Cheltenham Festivals future or for the turning on of the Christmas lights at Seven Barrows. Sprinter Sacre was a fantastic racehorse, among the very best of his generation, and he is appreciated as such.