End of the road for Iris's Gift

Nine-year-old Iris's Gift broke down badly on trainer Jonjo O'Neill's gallops on Wednesday and sustained a leg injury forcing the legend into retirement.

O'Neill's horse won 14 races from 25 starts but never progressed into the chasing star his hurdling potential had promised.

Iris's Gift's owner Robert Lester said: "We are absolutely gutted. Iris's Gift gave us so much fun and it is a shattering blow.

"Now we must ensure that we find him a good home so we can visit him regularly."

Pulled up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the grey's two starts this season produced fifth-placed finishes in the Charlie Hall and the Betfair Chase.

He was more successful over the smaller smaller obstacles, beating Baracouda in the Stayers' Hurdle at the 2004 Cheltenham Festival