RUFIYAA RETIRED AND OUT OF DERBY

Ian Fortune

Untold Rufiyaa was like a comet across the night sky, blazing a trail but sadly not staying for long.

The hugely talented son of Droopys Sydney gave warning that he was going to a force to be reckoned with when running out a brilliant winner of the National Puppy Stake last December.

Sadly, persistent problems have forced his connections, handler David Byrne and owners the Untold Racing Syndicate to call it a day with the stunning brindle ahead of his scheduled second round appearance in the BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby.

It simply wasn’t meant to be for the January ’23 whelp. There were glimpses of his best in his select few races this year but he could never get over the niggling problems that have persisted since his National Puppy Stake victory.  

Speaking on X, his owners, Untold Racing said of their star, “The old tale ‘bad news arrives in threes’. UNTOLD RUFIYAA reported lame again yesterday so we’ve decided to call time on his racing career. An unfathomable year so far but Ralph gave us our most memorable night in 2024 when part of a WRF G1 double”.

Indeed, it was a special night for the Untold Racing Syndicate at Shelbourne Park on night two of last year’s Winter Racing Festival, winning successive races with Untold Dollar and Untold Rufiyaa. They are great memories and we wish Untold Rufiyaa, or Ralph as he is known at home, a long and happy retirement.

Untold Rufiyaa was due to race from trap two in Heat 5 of the second round of the BOYLE Sports Derby at Shelbourne Park on Friday night. In his absence, the trap will remain vacant.