The curtain has come down on the racing career of Group Three winner White Noise (NZ) (El Roca).
The five-year-old grey gelding kicked off his career for Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman as a three-year-old and won four races in his debut season, including the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) and Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m).
With Baker’s retirement, White Noise then transitioned to the solo care of Forsman, and was a key figure in helping launch the Cambridge conditioners individual training career in the following season. He won first-up before he dead-heated for second in the Listed Matamata Cup (1600m), and then crossed the Tasman where he was third in the Listed Sale Cup (1600m). He then returned to New Zealand where he won the Gr.3 Easter Handicap (1600m) in autumn last year.
Returning as a five-year-old, he once again was victorious first-up at Ruakaka, but has failed to fire since, and the decision has been made to call an end to his racing journey.
“The curtain has come down on his career and he has been a brilliant horse, and it is nice to have him retire safe and sound. He will have a great life after racing,” Forsman said.
“He really hit the ground running in the spring when I took over and he was brilliant at home and then we took him to Melbourne, and he raced creditably there too. He is a very special horse.
“He is now out in the paddock, and we are just looking at options for him to be rehomed, whether he ends up a clerk of the course or just a hack for someone, we are just working through that.”
