Champion jumper Stern Idol is poised to conclude his distinguished career following one final appearance in the Crisp Steeplechase next Sunday.
Stern Idol is set to contest the Crisp Steeplechase (4200m) for a fourth time before embarking on his retirement.
Trainer Ciaron Maher expressed immense admiration for the nine-year-old, suggesting he might be the finest jumper to have passed through his stable in over two decades.
“Bashboy won three Nationals, which is hard to do at a handicap level, but this horse is quicker, (and) is quite possibly the best jumper I’ve ever had, but it’s hard to quantify eras,” Maher stated.
“There was also Al Garhood and Regina Coeli (both Grand Annual Steeplechase winners), they were rippers and Regina Coeli has produced a horse called Melek, who is by St Jean, and I did have quite a few enquiries after he won his maiden here on debut.”
Originally bred in Ireland with the Melbourne Cup in mind, Stern Idol commenced his racing days in France before being relocated to Australia to join Maher with the intention of a jumps career.
Stern Idol boasts an impressive record of 18 victories from 43 starts, accumulating nearly $1.1 million in prize money.
Maher indicated that retirement was imminent for the gelding, whom he described as the largest horse to have been under his care, citing a scarcity of suitable races.
He acknowledged the bittersweet nature of Stern Idol’s impending retirement, given the relatively light race schedule the horse has experienced throughout his career.
“He doesn’t race that much,” Maher commented.
“A lot of jumpers have half-a-dozen runs before they get to a hurdle race. He has one 3000-metre run on the flat every prep and he’s very competitive.
“He ran the other day on the flat because we missed a run (at Hamilton).
“There’s no reason why he couldn’t race on, but there’s only a couple of races a year that he can run in.
“He won the Brierly Steeplechase this year with 75 (kilos), so he’s going to get more next year, the Grand Annual is too far, so there’s only the set-weight races he can run in, and the Crisp is the next one which he will run in.
“He’s just a beautiful horse. He’s lived at Ballarat his whole life, they know him, they love him, they understand him very well, but he’s a little bit quirky.
“He’s got a lot of sass for a big steeplechaser. He wears earmuffs, he gets around always on the job, and you wouldn’t know he’s a nine-year-old.
“He’s just a cracking horse.”
Punters looking to back a winner in the Crisp Steeplechase can explore the latest racing odds at Australian betting sites.