Champion jumper Gold Medals will not defend his title in next month's Warrnambool Grand Annual Steeplechase after his career was cut short by injury.
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In his final year of racing - as a 12-year-old - Gold Medals had been the subject to wear and tear problems and trainer Symon Wilde was not prepared to risk the grand campaigner with a fifth start in the Grand Annual.
"We've decided to retire Gold Medals while he was on top," Wilde told The Standard.
"We had a discussion with the owners of Gold Medals and there's nothing left for him to achieve.
"The horse has had a couple of niggles and we were behind time in getting him right for this year's Annual."
Wilde said Gold Medals had brought smiles to many faces.
"He's won two Grand Annuals in 2018 and 2021 and been placed in his other two Annual runs," he said.
"Gold Medals gave great enjoyment, not only to his owners but to jumps fans.
"He's gone out as a hero and legend of the 'Bool. I've got to give credit to our stable staff - they have done a wonderful job with Gold Medals during his career.
"He's got a paddock at home which he'll be in for the rest of his life."
Former jumps jockey Clayton Douglas, who rode Gold Medals in his four Grand Annual starts, paid credit to Wilde and his staff for managing the horse during his career.
"I've been really lucky, I only had four rides in the Grand Annual and they were all on Gold Medals," Douglas said.
"We won two and ran second twice - you can't do any better than that. Gold Medals was a faultless jumper.
"Symon and his team should be congratulated for doing such a great job with Gold Medals during his career."
Warrnambool Racing Club CEO Tom O'Connor said he tipped his hat to Wilde for placing the welfare of Gold Medals before anything else.
"Symon and his team have done a remarkable job managing Gold Medals," O'Connor said.
"We will have discussions with Symon regarding having Gold Medals on-course for the celebrations of this year's Grand Annual."
Gold Medals started his career winning a two-year-old race at Warrnambool in 2012 before winning 12 other races from his 82 starts.
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