There were mixed emotions for Longford trainer Bill Ryan as he sold his prized horse Still A Star for $700,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
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Ryan gave an emotional interview on RSN's Beer & Skittles program earlier this week, speaking of the impact the five-year-old horse has had on him while he battles an incurable lung disease.
"I hope I'm around long enough to see her foals run but it's highly unlikely, that's why we are selling her," he said.
"I'm supposed to be passed my use-by date already but I'm not giving up, I'm still going. The drugs have been fantastic, they've slowed it down so that's bloody terrific.
"She was such a unique horse, I've never had a horse with the character that she has.
"It's almost like she knows what you're thinking and responds accordingly and it got to the point where I thought I was married to her because all she wanted to do was boss me around like my wife does."
Ryan purchased Still A Star for $13,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sales before she turned out to be "by far and away" the best horse he's had.
She produced 10 wins from her 19 career starts, earned $873,190 in prize money and while she didn't win the group one race that Ryan craved, he was pleased with the group two victory.
Going over to Flemington in October 2021, Still A Star was victorious in the Rose of Kingston Stakes, just beating home outsider Pride of Jenni.
However, four weeks later, she would run her last race, finishing 12th of 14 in her second group one, having been voted into the All Star Mile earlier in the year.
She suffered a minor internal bleed in the race and the retirement call was made in December.
Ryan was Still A Star's trainer and along with his wife Mary and daughter Monica, they owned the horse in partnership with 12 others.
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