VINTAGE Clouds is going to enjoy a happy retirement, according to trainer Sue Smith.

The Irish grey is nearly 13 now, and after pulling up in the Scottish Grand National last Saturday, it was decided it was time to call it a day.

The decision comes just a year or so after the veteran’s greatest achievement, when he scooped the Ultima Handicap Chase title at the Cheltenham Festival.

But Smith, who runs the stables up at Craiglands Farm in High Eldwick, Bingley with husband Harvey, insists it was the right time to say goodbye.

She said: “It’s emotional, but that’s like for anybody waiting to retire really.

“He’d done a lot of years with us, having been here since the age of four.

“He’d done his bumpers, hurdles, chases and had his wins, and he’s become a firm favourite.

“It’s hard to say goodbye, as it’s always sad to lose any horse, but he’ll have a good retirement now with Mick Meagher in Lancashire and he gets to run around with some of the younger horses over there.”

Talking about Vintage Clouds’ performance in his final run at Ayr last weekend, Smith said: “In the Scottish National, he ran his race as well as he could.

“But he’s had a few wind operations over the years and it’s been a little problem for him. It just really caught up with him in the end.

“This was realistically always going to be his last season and (owner) Trevor Hemmings (who died last year) always liked to retire his horses when they were still relatively fit and of a good age.”

The focus switches now for Smith, with young prospect Prairie Wolf racing at Aintree this weekend in the Champion Bumper, which takes place on the same day as the Grand National.

It is an occasion Smith is really looking forward to, saying: “Prairie Wolf is a nice going horse that has a lot to look forward to.

“We’ve got to hope for a big race from him and it’ll be great to be there, as Aintree is a fantastic meeting, the best one of the year in the north.

“It’s a fabulous place to go and they go about everything in such a great way. To make the meeting go smoothly, everyone has to work very hard.”

While Vintage Clouds’ Cheltenham win was special, Smith’s biggest achievement as a trainer was when her 66-1 outsider Auroras Encore won the Grand National in 2013, with Ryan Mania the jockey for both of those victories.

Looking back on that experience nine years ago, Smith admitted: “You can’t get any better than winning the Grand National.

“It was just a brilliant day for everyone and everybody at the meeting, whether it’s trainers, riders or staff, works so hard to make these things happen.”

A quiet period is on the horizon for Smith and her yard after Aintree, as she said: “There’s not a lot coming up now, as we’re just easing down.

“Springtime is coming, so the horses that have been in all winter are just getting ready to go out into the field again.”