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Peddlers Cross retired

Peddlers Cross and Jason MaguirePeddlers Cross and Jason Maguire
© Photo Healy Racing

Donald McCain has taken the tough decision to retire his 2011 Champion Hurdle runner-up Peddlers Cross.

Winner of the Neptune Investment Management Noviices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival 12 months earlier, McCain repeatedly claimed he may never train another as good.

He certainly went out on his sword in the Champion Hurdle three years ago, making Hurricane Fly pull out all the stops, having won the Fighting Fifth Hurdle that season.

The following campaign he was sent novice chasing and a fter two facile wins in the north he travelled to Kempton for the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase but was put firmly in his place by Sprinter Sacre.

He was a well-beaten favourite in the Jewson Novices' Chase at Cheltenham later that year and did not reappear until a jumpers' bumper at Kempton the following January where he shaped well to be second.

The following month he won a conditions race at Musselburgh at long odds-on, but back at Cheltenham he was unplaced behind Solwhit in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle. He failed to make the track last season.

McCain tweeted: "After a lot of thought we have decided to retire Peddlers Cross, the best horse I may ever train.

"Thank you #peddlers."

The Tim Leslie-owned gelding won 10 of his 16 career starts, earning just short of £300,000 in win and place prize-money.