Rathgar Beau has been retired after suffering a recurrence of a leg problem in the National Lottery Agent Champion Chase at Gowran on Saturday. Sir Oj put up an impressive performance to win the Grade Two contest but his triumph was overshadowed by the career-ending injury to Eamonn Sheehy's talented performer.

Jockey Shay Barry pulled up the 10-year-old before the third-last fence. "He's done his off-fore leg again and will not run again," Sheehy explained. "If he was a younger horse I'd persevere and patch him up and bring him back again, but he's too old now and it's not fair on him. We've had some great days with him though and I'll be lucky to get one like that again."

There was plenty to like about Sir Oj's foot-perfect victory, though, which puts him in the frame for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 11th.

Noel Meade's gelding stalked Public Reaction before taking the lead with five fences remaining in the two-mile-two-furlong event. Slim Pickings was third while Euro Leader, Willie Mullins's 5 to 2 favourite, failed to troubled the principals.