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Tuesday, 10 January 2012

That's it For Don't Push It


Don't Push it, the horse that delivered champion jockey AP McCoy's 2010 Grand National win, has run his last race.

The 12-year-old, who finished sixth in his most recent outing at Cheltenham in November, has struggled for form.

"He had not really been sparkling and the last thing we wanted was to make him carry on doing something he was not really happy with," trainer Jonjo O'Neill told the Racing Post.

Don't Push It's National victory was McCoy's first in 15 rides in the race.

It was also the first time O'Neill or owner JP McManus had won jump racing's biggest prize.

"I think we'll always remember the magical day he won the Grand National as it was one of the greatest afternoons in the life of myself, JP and AP as we had all been trying to win the race for so many years," said O'Neill.

Through his career, Don't Push It won eight times, with victory in the John Smith Handicap Chase at Aintree in 2009 preceding his triumphant return to the course the following year.

The Gloucestershire-trained gelding, carrying top weight, finished third behind winner Ballabriggs and Oscar Time in the 2011 Grand National in April.

CAREER FACTFILE
Starts: 29
Wins: 8
Second-place finishes: 4
Third-place finishes: 3
Earnings: £754,616