‘HORSE OF A LIFETIME’ BUTTONS IS RETIRED

POPULAR mare Lady Buttons has been retired after sustaining an injury, with trainer Phil Kirby describing her as ‘our horse of a lifetime’. Lady Buttons won 15 of her 33 starts, recording victories on the Flat, over hurdles and fences. She earned almost £300,000 in prize money. The 10-year-old was particularly potent at Doncaster, winning on five of her six starts there. On her last run, Lady Buttons finished seventh to Honeysuckle in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March. In a tweet, Kirby said: ‘A small setback meant she would have been on the sidelines until Christmas and a spring return would not have been in Buttons’ best interests. We’re delighted that she will remain with us to become a broodmare.’