Racing: Hale's star Close Up calls it quits

Close Up (17) motivated Shelley Hale back into training after a serious illness. Photo / File

The racing days are over for Close Up, the horse who motivated Shelley Hale back into training after a serious illness.

Close Up was scheduled to run in the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie today, but instead he will be beginning his retirement on Hale's property.

"He's feeling the wear and tear on his fetlock joints so we've decided to retire him," Hale said.

"He had a trial at Matamata on Tuesday and I was happy enough with his run (for third), but there was a bit of swelling afterward.

"It's not as bad as we first thought, but we don't want to risk racing him anymore."

Close Up credited Hale with her first Group One success when he won last year's Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings in the hands of regular rider Grant Cooksley.

Either side of the win he had been runner-up, chasing Underthemoonlight home in the Gr.2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa in the lead-up, then going down narrowly to Gingernuts in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings.

Close Up won 10 of his 34 starts and was placed on a further 10 occasions.

A 9-year-old son of Shinko King, he is from the prolific broodmare Regelle, who has a 100 per cent strike-rate with her eight foals to race.

Regelle's progeny includes fellow major winners Thumbs Up (Group Two winner in Hong Kong) and Seventh Up (Gr.2 Easter Stakes, 1600m) and the Group Two-placed Sum Up (six wins).

Winning the Tarzino Trophy is obviously the highlight of Hale's training career, but Close Up means even more to the Cambridge horsewoman for another reason.

Hale was hospitalised with cancer four years ago and during her time being treated for the illness she sent Close Up to Matamata trainer Mark Lupton, who enjoyed success with the talented sprinter-miler.

That success was the driving force behind Hale returning to training once she had recovered from the series of operations.

"Closey was a big motivating factor in me getting well and back training," Hale said. "I'll forever be grateful to him. I owe him so much."

- NZ Racing Desk