Mick Quinn has been left “gutted” after injury forced the retirement of his stable star Pink Sheets

The seven-year-old hurdler had won her last four races, including a Listed event at Newbury in fine style in November.

Quinn and owner Kenny Bruce were dreaming of the Cheltenham Festival. But a problem – which Quinn believes manifested itself at Newbury – is serious enough to end her racing days.

“I’m gutted. It’s hugely frustrating for everyone, the owner, myself and the staff – we’d waited so long for another stakes horse,” said Quinn.

“It appeared after her last race – a suspensory has split, but it’s looped round to the fetlock. She’s sound now, but there’s a zero percent chance of her taking full training.

“It’s an unusual one, but funnily enough the vet had seen it in a decent Flat mare as well. So it’s not worth waiting a year, because it could go again and there was a chance she wouldn’t make a mare.

“We gave her three weeks after Newbury, then she was cantering for two weeks back in training but went lame again. So it was probably bubbling from the Newbury race.

“What makes it even more frustrating is she’s never had a lame day since we’ve had her. We’ve had to pick our chins up off the ground.

“When you get a nice horse every asks about her. She’s going to be covered by Jack Hobbs anyway, and hopefully her offspring jump as well as she did.”