After more than four years of joy, the team at Gath Racing has said goodbye to champion trotter Tornado Valley.

The $1million earner was retired from racing following his third placing at Melton in late February and officially began the next chapter of his life when he departed the Long Forest stables on Tuesday.

Trainer Andy Gath said it was sad to farewell the 10-year-old, but was looking forward to following his journey away from the track.

“We live on the property obviously, the horses are here and you deal with them every day. You do become attached to them,” Gath told Trots Talk.

“Whether they’re good horses or bad horses, it’s irrelevant sometimes. Sometimes you can train a horse for up to eight or nine years and it’s a long part of your life to have a horse in your care.

“It was pretty sad, but he’s going to a new home and he will be re-trained to saddle.

“Most of us on social media will get to follow his journey, see where he ends up and watch the process of him getting re-trained to saddle and everything. I’m looking forward to the next chapter of his life…

“He achieved a lot for us – Kate (Gath), myself and Norm Jenkin – and took us on a great ride. Hopefully we can get another one like him down the track.”

Tornado Valley finished his career in ninth spot on the all-time prizemoney list for Australasian-bred trotters with $1,033,977 in the bank from 112 starts. Among his 39 wins were many races at Group 1 level, highlighted by the 2018 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final and Great Southern Star Final in 2020 and 2021.

Picture: Gath Racing on Twitter

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