Laurina Retired – How Health Issues Stopped A Star From Shining

It seems like just yesterday when Laurina announced her arrival on the horse racing scene at Cheltenham in 2018. Willie Mullins’ budding star carried an odds-on price into the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle on day three of the Cheltenham Festival, and Laurina made mincemeat of her competition, pounding up Cleeve Hill to seal an emphatic victory.

On her return to Cheltenham in 2019, Laurina was fancied by many to win the Champion Hurdle. Although her unbeaten record came to an end that day, a fourth-place finish ensured Mullins’ mare would leave Prestbury Park with her reputation as one of National Hunt racing’s brightest talents still fully intact.

Laurina had sat atop the Cheltenham Festival betting as little as 12 months ago. Having beaten Minella Indo on her first start over fences, Laurina shot straight to the top of the market for the Arkle Challenge Trophy and was backed into odds-on favouritism for a Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas.

It was there, at Leopardstown, where things began to unravel. Laurina was pulled up after bursting blood vessels, the first time this had happened during her career. She was turned out at Sandown the following month, but the trauma she suffered over Christmas was still clearly at the forefront of her mind, and Nico De Boinville pulled the favourite up after a terrible round of jumping.

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A move to Paul Nicholls’ yard followed in the summer, with owner, Jared Sullivan hoping a change in scenery may spark Laurina’s return to form. Sadly, the seven-year-old bled again on her stable debut in the Ascot Hurdle in November, after which connections decided to call it a day.

“It was a fairly easy decision to make after Saturday,” Paul Nicholls told the press when Laurina’s retirement was announced.

“I chatted to Jared (Sullivan) over the weekend and it was the only thing to do really. She obviously had issues last season and no stone was left unturned to get her right.

“I thought she would run alright on Saturday but she bled after the race. We knew she bled quite a bit last season and she’d pulled up at Leopardstown and Sandown.

“She’s been such a super mare for Jared and for Willie and it was the only sensible thing to do. She should make up into a nice broodmare and there should be some nice Laurina foals to look forward to.”

While it’s certainly not something you see every day, racehorses do occasionally burst blood vessels. Horses have such a high cardiac output when galloping that pressure is bound to build. Too much pressure can cause capillaries in the lungs and nasal cavities to burst, forcing blood out of a horse’s nostrils.

Many horses make a full recovery after this injury and most never bleed again following treatment. However, after she bled on three of her last four starts, connections had no choice but to retire this once all-conquering mare.

Such is Laurina’s record on the track and her exceptional physical attributes, she’ll fetch a high price as a broodmare and her progeny will surely taste plenty of success on the track in the years to come. Yet, we’re left wondering what might have been for Laurina’s own racing career, as she had all the makings of a global superstar.

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