Robbie Power hails Supasundae as 10-year-old is retired

Jessica Harrington’s star won three Grade Ones and the Coral Cup at Cheltenham

Robbie Power celebrates victory on Supasundae at the 2018 Punchestown Festival. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Robbie Power celebrates victory on Supasundae at the 2018 Punchestown Festival. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

Robbie Power hailed Supasundae a "fantastic servant" after the triple Grade One winner was retired from racing.

Having claimed Cheltenham Festival glory in the 2017 Coral Cup, the son of Galileo went on to make his mark at the highest level for trainer Jessica Harrington, with victories in the Irish Champion Hurdle, the Punchestown Champion Hurdle and the Aintree Hurdle.

But with the 10-year-old looking a shadow of his former self in three starts so far this season — most recently finishing last of six runners in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse — Harrington has now called time on his racing career.

“He’s been a fantastic servant,” said Power, who guided Supasundae to five of his eight victories.

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“He won three Grade Ones and a Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. He was also second in a Stayers’ Hurdle a couple of years ago.

“He was just a tough, honest horse who always gave his running. I think he ran in 10 Grade One races consecutively at one stage and was never out of the first three.

“He beat Faugheen in an Irish Champion Hurdle and beat Buveur D’Air in an Aintree Hurdle. Probably beating Faugheen in the Irish Champion Hurdle was his best performance, but I got a great buzz out him winning the Aintree Hurdle as well.”

Supasundae won British bumpers for Tim Fitzgerald and Andrew Balding, before being bought privately by the late Alan Potts ahead of finishing sixth in the 2015 Champion Bumper at Cheltenham for Henry de Bromhead.

He was moved to Harrington’s yard the following year and signs off having either won or been placed on 19 of his 31 career outings — earning almost £770,000 in the process.