End in sight for Quixall

Quixall Crossett won the award for the best-turned-out horse but otherwise made little impression on the second division of the Ropewalk Chambers Maiden Chase at Southwell yesterday, as he completed his much-anticipated 100th defeat.

Racing's most accomplished loser was never in the remotest danger of shedding his maiden tag after 11 years of trying. Ted Caine's 16-year-old gelding trailed the 13-strong field almost from the start until he was pulled up before the 10th fence.

Afterwards Caine, a pig-farming permit-holder from High Crossett in North Yorkshire, said: "He just wasn't able to keep up today and he wasn't enjoying himself – so the jockey did right to pull him up."

Caine felt that his charge might have needed his first outing since February and suggested the watering of the good to firm ground may have been against him. With such a lamentable record, though, no excuses were needed for a poor run and, fortunately, his safe return meant that no explanations were required for injuries to the horse or any caused inadvertently to other runners. "You can see the horse is well. He is jogging away there, which is good to see," Caine said.

The trainer conceded that the gelding is coming towards the end of his career but refused to contemplate retirement just yet. "He will probably be out again somewhere soon. I won't make a decision today – we'll go back home and think about it," he added. "But a couple more runs like that, and maybe we might have to think about his future."