Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer David Elsworth announces retirement
Elsworth trained Rhyme 'N' Reason, Desert Orchid and dual Goodwood Cup winner Persian Punch in a remarkable career spanning over six decades; the legendary trainer landed Group prizes with Sir Dancealot
Wednesday 15 December 2021 17:29, UK
David Elsworth, trainer of Grand National winner Rhyme 'N' Reason and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Desert Orchid, has announced his retirement.
The 82-year-old had recently trained mainly flat horses, and celebrated Group Two success as recently as 2019, with Sir Dancealot landing the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood, and gathered seven winners from 90 runners in a Covid-disrupted 2020.
He had significantly reduced his training operation in recent seasons, before announcing his retirement via the Racing Post on Wednesday afternoon.
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Speaking to Matt Chapman on Sky Sports Racing at Yarmouth earlier this season, he discussed his imminent retirement, saying: "We're getting nearer. I'm in the queue, in the waiting room.
"It'd be nice to sit back and have a few years doing a bit of travelling or something else but it's a difficult thing to get off the merry-go-round once you're on it.
"I wouldn't say it [retirement] is imminent, but it won't be long."
Elsworth also admitted the "romance" of racing was fading with every season that passed.
He said: "I'm an old man now, I'm 82, and your attitude changes. When you're young you do things in a hurry and you're more aggressive, but when you get old you slow down a bit.
"It's still fun and I've had a wonderful time but a lot of the romance goes with each year. I wouldn't say I've fallen out of love with it, but I'm happy to slow down.
"When you get to my age, a lot of your friends pass on and one reads their obituary, but one never gets a chance to read their own! I'd be fascinated to know what they'll say about me."
Elsworth will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest dual-purpose trainers to ever grace the game.
His list of star horses also includes Classic winner In The Groove, dual Goodwood Cup champion Persian Punch and runaway Triumph Hurdle winner Oh So Risky.
"In racing, and in life, the biggest asset you can have is luck and I've been extremely lucky," Elsworth reflected.
"I've stumbled across these horses and had a lot of good staff who have worked hard with me. It's not a one-man show."
