2022 Greyhound of the Year Coolavanny Aunty has been retired after picking up an injury in a winning swansong at Sheffield on Sunday.
Assistant trainer Jimmy Wright said: “The first we knew was when we went into the kennel the next morning and she was lame. She sustained a cracked hock which is now in plaster.
“It is just one of those things, we would have retired her as soon as she came into season anyway. She has been off the pill for a couple of months and could break at any stage. Hopefully not just yet while she is still in plaster.”
Bred by Shane O’Gorman, Aunty was unraced in Ireland and was sold for a mere £5,000 by Noel Browne.
She was still a pup when she ran Jaguar Macie to half a length in the ’21 Angel Of The North. She was also second, half a length to Bubble Apache, in the Puppy Classic at Nottingham.
Four weeks later she won her first ‘Cat 1’ the Empress Stakes at Towcester. The 13-8f beat a sensational field that included Coolavanny Bani, Ballymac Trend, Droopys Aoife, Bellmore Sally and Ritsy Lady. Her time, 29.34.
She landed the first Cat 1 of 2022 when taking the Essex Vase, Bani was second. The pair occupied the same positions in the Grand Prix with the third Cat 1 of the year coming in the ‘Three Steps’ at Sheffield. Aunty completed the year by beating another sensational field in the £2,500 invitation Christmas Stayers at Monmore. She also finished runner-up in the George Ing Leger at Yarmouth.
In total, the daughter of Droopys Sydney won 34 of her 64 races (480-660m), the last being at Sheffield on Sunday when she was quicker than the Queen Mother Cup winner.
Jimmy Wright said: “I thought she had lot a length of pace this year so it was time to call it a day. She has been a fabulous bitch, possibly the best we have ever had.”
