Accordion retired

RACING NEWS:THE GRADE One-winning chaser Accordion Etoile has been retired and will not run in the Guinness Galway Hurdle in two weeks.

Accordion Etoile had been joint top-weight for the Day Four festival feature at Ballybrit, but trainer Paul Nolan has confirmed the horse won't run again.

"I expected him to run his last race on the flat at Leopardstown in June, but he ran so well I thought he might have regained his old spark. But since then he hasn't been working well and I suppose it was inevitable he was going to retire," Nolan said.

Accordion Etoile had run just three times in the last two years, but was formerly a high-class hurdler who finished fourth in the 2005 Champion Hurdle won by Hardy Eustace.

His finest moment, however, came with a Grade One success in the Swordlestown Cup at Punchestown the following year.

Accordion Etoile's retirement leaves Kalderon as the topweight on 11.10st for the Galway Hurdle.