Charles Byrnes has confirmed his dual Cheltenham Festival hero Weapon's Amnesty has been retired from racing after suffering another injury. Winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the 2009 Festival, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned chestnut returned to Prestbury Park 12 months later to run out a hugely impressive winner of the RSA Chase, beating the Nicky Henderson-trained pair of Burton Port and Long Run.
However, he then spent over two and a half years on the sidelines with injury and when he did eventually return to competitive action in last month's Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown, he was pulled up. The 10-year-old has now suffered a further setback and connections feel it is the right time to call it a day. Byrnes said: "He's got another slight injury unfortunately, it's not the old injury.
"It hasn't been straightforward getting him back. He takes a lot of work to get fit and it was always going to be a bit iffy.
"It's a shame as the formbook tells you he could have gone right to the top."
Happy retirement Weapons Amnesty - and here's to what might have been
However, he then spent over two and a half years on the sidelines with injury and when he did eventually return to competitive action in last month's Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown, he was pulled up. The 10-year-old has now suffered a further setback and connections feel it is the right time to call it a day. Byrnes said: "He's got another slight injury unfortunately, it's not the old injury.
"It hasn't been straightforward getting him back. He takes a lot of work to get fit and it was always going to be a bit iffy.
"It's a shame as the formbook tells you he could have gone right to the top."
Happy retirement Weapons Amnesty - and here's to what might have been
