A Plus Tard, winner of the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup, has been retired from racing.

Owned by Cheveley Park Stud and trained by Henry de Bromhead, A Plus Tard gave jockey Rachael Blackmore a historic victory in the Prestbury Park feature as she became the first woman to ride the winner of jump racing’s blue riband.

The 10-year-old rocketed to a 15-length success that day, supplementing three previous Grade One wins, including a 22-length verdict in the 2021 Betfair Chase.

However, A Plus Tard has struggled to make his mark since that Gold Cup win, pulling up on two occasions and finishing third at Aintree in April before bowing out when unplaced in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown last month.

Richard Thompson, director of Cheveley Park Stud, paid tribute to the gelding who realised the dream of his late father, David, when winning at Cheltenham.

He said in a statement: “My father and I sat down in early 2018 and agreed a plan to buy some National Hunt horses to be trained in Ireland with the aim of winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

“Just over four years later, we achieved this objective when Rachael Blackmore rode A Plus Tard to victory in front of 70,000 people at the first Cheltenham Festival post Covid.

“My father watched A Plus Tard win the Savills Chase in a thrilling finish on television on December 28, 2020. He died the very next day. It was the last horse race he ever watched.

“A Plus Tard was also the first Cheltenham winner in the red, white and blue Cheveley Park Stud colours and also Rachael Blackmore’s first winner at Cheltenham in the 2019 Listed Close Brothers Novices’ Chase. Rachael rode him to five of his six victories and Darragh O’Keeffe rode him in the other one.

“For all of the above reasons, A Plus Tard will always be a very special horse in the history of my parents’ ownership of Cheveley Park Stud.

“A special thank you to Henry de Bromhead and all the team at Knockeen and to Rachael too. To win the Cheltenham Gold Cup is the Holy Grail of National Hunt racing and we will never forget March 18, 2022.”

A Plus Tard will remain at De Bromhead’s Knockeen yard in the immediate future before returning to Cheveley Park in Newmarket to enjoy his retirement.

De Bromhead added: “A Plus Tard was our first horse to train for Cheveley Park Stud and the Thompson Family. He was bought from France by Alex Elliot and gave us many memorable days, culminating in the 2022 Gold Cup.

“He was sublime that day, not only visually impressive, but also one of the highest rated winners of the Gold Cup in the last 30 years, as well as being one of the best horses we have ever had in our yard.

“We were delighted when this very special horse won Cheveley Park Stud their first Gold Cup.”

A Plus Tard bows out the winner of eight of his 23 career starts, with over £957,000 in prize money.

A Plus Tard, winner of the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup, has been retired from racing.

Owned by Cheveley Park Stud and trained by Henry de Bromhead, A Plus Tard gave jockey Rachael Blackmore a historic victory in the Prestbury Park feature as she became the first woman to ride the winner of jump racing’s blue riband.

The 10-year-old rocketed to a 15-length success that day, supplementing three previous Grade One wins, including a 22-length verdict in the 2021 Betfair Chase.

However, A Plus Tard has struggled to make his mark since that Gold Cup win, pulling up on two occasions and finishing third at Aintree in April before bowing out when unplaced in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown last month.

Richard Thompson, director of Cheveley Park Stud, paid tribute to the gelding who realised the dream of his late father, David, when winning at Cheltenham.

He said in a statement: “My father and I sat down in early 2018 and agreed a plan to buy some National Hunt horses to be trained in Ireland with the aim of winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

“Just over four years later, we achieved this objective when Rachael Blackmore rode A Plus Tard to victory in front of 70,000 people at the first Cheltenham Festival post Covid.

“My father watched A Plus Tard win the Savills Chase in a thrilling finish on television on December 28, 2020. He died the very next day. It was the last horse race he ever watched.

“A Plus Tard was also the first Cheltenham winner in the red, white and blue Cheveley Park Stud colours and also Rachael Blackmore’s first winner at Cheltenham in the 2019 Listed Close Brothers Novices’ Chase. Rachael rode him to five of his six victories and Darragh O’Keeffe rode him in the other one.

“For all of the above reasons, A Plus Tard will always be a very special horse in the history of my parents’ ownership of Cheveley Park Stud.

“A special thank you to Henry de Bromhead and all the team at Knockeen and to Rachael too. To win the Cheltenham Gold Cup is the Holy Grail of National Hunt racing and we will never forget March 18, 2022.”

A Plus Tard will remain at De Bromhead’s Knockeen yard in the immediate future before returning to Cheveley Park in Newmarket to enjoy his retirement.

De Bromhead added: “A Plus Tard was our first horse to train for Cheveley Park Stud and the Thompson Family. He was bought from France by Alex Elliot and gave us many memorable days, culminating in the 2022 Gold Cup.

“He was sublime that day, not only visually impressive, but also one of the highest rated winners of the Gold Cup in the last 30 years, as well as being one of the best horses we have ever had in our yard.

“We were delighted when this very special horse won Cheveley Park Stud their first Gold Cup.”

A Plus Tard bows out the winner of eight of his 23 career starts, with over £957,000 in prize money.

Henry de Bromhead has indicated A Plus Tard is on course to make his comeback in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.

The chaser looked to have the world at his feet when sprinting clear to win the 2022 Gold Cup at Cheltenham, but things have not gone to plan since then.

He was pulled up on his first run since Gold Cup glory at Haydock and was then a late absentee last Christmas at Leopardstown. He made it back to defend his Cheltenham crown but was pulled up after being badly hampered by a faller.

A Plus Tard was last seen finishing third at Aintree to Shishkin and is expected to be joined by stablemate Envoi Allen in the Leopardstown feature.

“I hope both Envoi and A Plus Tard will run in the Savills,” said De Bromhead, speaking to Leopardstown Racecourse.

“A Plus Tard schooled well the other day, he has another big piece of work coming up but he’s in good form, he seems really well.

“Envoi seems really well, he’s in great form. He ran really well at Down Royal so fingers crossed we get a clear run into the race and he’ll be able to put in a good performance.”

Another Grade One contender for the yard over Christmas is two-miler Captain Guinness, who swerved the Tingle Creek in preference for the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase closer to home on December 27.

“That’s the plan at the moment, we’d love to win a Grade One with him,” he said.

“He’s been brilliant, so consistent. Look, it’s a very good race but we’ll take our chance and see.”

A Plus Tard is “odds against” to bid for a second win in the Betfair Chase at Haydock later this month, according to Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson.

The nine-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Grade One contest in 2021 before going on to lift that season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup in spectacular fashion.

However, a disappointing defence of his Haydock crown set the tone for a lacklustre campaign last term, pulling up on his return to Cheltenham before finishing a well-beaten third at Aintree.

Trainer Henry de Bromhead has again entered A Plus Tard for the Betfair Chase on November 25, but Thompson feels that may be a big ask on his first run back.

He said: “I think it’s odds against he runs at Haydock, but he’ll be out soon I think. I’m told he’s in good form and we’re looking forward to seeing how he runs.

“He’s had a few issues, as everyone knows. I think those are sorted now, hopefully, and he’ll be out soon, but the Betfair Chase may be a bit of a stretch for him as it’s only two weeks away.”

When asked if A Plus Tard could make his comeback at a slightly lower level, Thompson added: “I would have thought that will be the plan more than the Betfair Chase. Henry will make the plan, but I get the flavour that he may go that route.

“There’s no pressure. He’s a Gold Cup winner and a Betfair Chase winner and has given us four Grade Ones – he’s given us some fantastic days.”