2006

I WILL miss Solerina racing terribly, but now seems like the right time.

With her two falls in the last 12 months it was becoming increasingly difficult to watch her. She is going out on a high after her win in Naas last time, and is retiring safe and sound. She deserved nothing less.

It is the end of an era, and the best four years I am ever likely to have anyway. I have been very, very lucky to own such a wonderful mare, and I realise she was one in several lifetimes.

Her greatest strength was her hurdling technique; she was like a cat from the first day she jumped a hurdle. As a novice she was probably more dominant than in other seasons because she jumped like a handicapper compared to the others.

There were so many great days. Her best performance was maybe her second Hatton’s Grace victory; her most exciting was undoubtedly her third.

Meant most

But the day that meant most to me was her win in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan this year after her fall at Tipperary. I’ll never forget the sense of relief that day.

We have often wondered how she would have fared against Limestone Lad had they both met over two and a half miles on soft ground. My own opinion is ‘Limestone’ would have beaten any horse under those conditions in the 1999/2000 season, but maybe his hurdling technique suffered after a spell chasing and, on her second Hatton’s Grace victory, Solerina may have had the edge.

Solerina was named after her ancestor by the same name. Her dam Deep Peace was bred at Sweet Wall Stud, and she is a descendant of the ‘Dark Eyes’ family.

I would like to thank my brother Michael for training her so well, and my mother for all her support and advice. Many jockeys rode Solerina, but Gary Hutchinson undoubtedly got on better with her than anyone.

[The best winner sired in just four crops by the Group 1 St Leger winner Toulon (Top Ville), Solerina was bred by Michael Bowe and she was one of three winners from Deep Peace (Deep Run). The others were the Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle runner-up Florida Coast (Florida Son) and the bumper winner Fair Ina (Taipan).

At stud, Fair Ina has made a lasting impression, being the dam of the outstanding racemare Fayonagh (Kalanisi), the ill-fated winner of both the Grade 1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and the Grade 1 Champion INH Flat Race at Punchestown.

Solerina went on to produce three winning offspring; Jaime Sommers (Milan), Halsafari (Doyen) and Pairc Na Ngael (Yeats), and she has many young stock yet to race. Her last foal was born in 2021, a filly by Maxios (Monsun). Solerina died last year]

Facts and figures

Racecourse debut: Naas, January 2002

First win: Bumper at Naas, March 2002

Debut maiden hurdle: won at Thurles, November 2002

First graded win: Barry & Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle at Navan, December 2002

First Grade 1 win: Deloitte & Touche Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown, February 2003

Highlights: Five Grade 1 wins, five Grade 2 wins and three Grade 3 wins

Other big race victories: Hatton’s Grace Hurdle 2003, 2004 and 2005; John James McManus Memorial Hurdle 2004; Lismullen Hurdle 2004 and 2005; Tara Hurdle 2003, 2004 and 2005; Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle 2003; and paddypower.com Future Champions Novice Hurdle 2002

The vanquished: Kicking King, Hardy Eustace, Central House, Accordion Etoile, Back In Front, Brave Inca and Golden Cross

Career overview: 22 wins from 40 races and £466,471 (approximately €700,000)