High-class chaser Teeton Mill has been retired, the grey's owners The Winning Line announced today.
The 11-year-old numbered the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury and the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton among four victories last season for Venetia Williams but suffered a serious injury when pulled up in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup and has not raced since.
In a statement to PA Sport The Winning Line's spokesman Stephen Winstanley, said: "Whilst the horse himself is in fine fettle, it's clear he's not going to be the force he was.
"Early last week Teeton Mill did his first serious piece of work and worked very well, and we were hopeful.
"However, the following day he was schooled by Norman Williamson, and both he and Venetia thought he was not jumping with the power and freedom he had shown previously.
"We considered retiring him immediately after the Gold Cup but the veterinary advice was with a hock tendon operation we had a better than 50-50 chance of getting him back as good as new.
"It's a bit frustrating because although Teeton Mill was 11 he had only in fact raced 11 times in his career and was very much a low mileage Rolls Royce. We will now never know how good he'd have been.
"We'll now be finding him a very good home so he can enjoy himself."
Miss Williams, saddened to be losing her stable star, paid tribute to Teeton Mill.
She said: "He was a magnificent horse and it was a great privilege to have had the pleasure of training him. He was the best galloper and jumper that I've ever had the good fortune to train which he showed by having the class to win over three and a half miles and less than two and a half.
"He has retired sound and in fact is pretty fit. I rode him myself in work last week and he left Bramblehill Duke standing and he won at Haydock on Saturday for us.
"It was when we schooled him he just wasn't jumping with the same power and fluency and he wasn't getting away from his fences quickly which had been his trademark _ he was a brilliant jumper.
"Even though he could still gallop we were judging him by his own high standards.
"We'll miss him here and I count myself very fortunate to have been associated with him.
"But there is no doubt he will be able to look forward to an enjoyable and active retirement."
No decision has been on where Teeton Mill will spend his retirement.
The gelding had one or two quirks as Miss Williams explained: "He could have a nip now and then and I remember my assistant Martin Ledger coming into the office very excited before the King George saying that Teeton Mill had bitten him and the last time he'd done that was before he won the Hennessy."
Teeton Mill made the progress from point-to-pointer _ he either fell or unseated his rider in three of his first four starts between the flags _ to the top of the steeplechasing ranks in just four years.
Trained originally by Caroline Bailey, he was bought by The Winning Line after scoring at Newbury in March 1998 and went into training with Miss Williams, who saddled him to land the Horse And Hound Cup that season.
Teeton Mill made the successful transition to handicap company the following term, easily winning the Badger Beer Handicap Chase at Wincanton on his reappearance before slamming Eudipe by 15 lengths in the Hennessy off 10st 5lb.
He then stepped up to Grade One company for the King George at Kempton the following month and disposed of a high-class field by six lengths and more.
For his Gold Cup prep-race he dropped back to an extended 19 furlongs in the Mitsubishi Shogun Ascot Chase and was once again impressive in beating Senor El Betrutti by four lengths.
On the strength of those performances Teeton Mill was sent off the 7-2 second favourite for chasing's blue riband but broke down at the 10th fence and was pulled up by Norman Williamson.
It transpired that he had slipped a tendon in a hind-leg and was subsequently operated on by Tewkesbury-based vet Liam Kearns.
Williamson, who was Teeton Mill's regular partner, echoed Miss Williams' thoughts.
He said: "It was a pleasure to have ridden him. He's one of the best jumpers I've ridden.
"And what he did to win the King George and then drop back in trip at Ascot to beat the two-milers was incredible which is I why I thought he was a certainty in the Gold Cup.
"He was an absolute gent to ride, you could do anything with him and he jumped from fence to fence.
"I am just pleased he has gone out sound. He wasn't lame or anything he just wasn't showing his old sparkle."
Mrs Bailey remembered her former charge.
She said: "Father (Grand National-winning rider Dick Saunders) bought him as foal from Jean Hayward, who bred him, and we had a lot of fun with him but Venetia got the real tune out of him.
"He was a little bit on the fragile side and we had his front legs fired as a precaution but he never broke down on them, it's sad that he went at the other end.
"He was a lovely horse, very honest and genuine."
Teeton Mill raced 17 times (six point-to-points) and won 12 (three point-to-points) and finished second once for #191,605 in prize money.
