Horse racing: Zara Phillips praises Toytown

NEWLYWED Zara Phillips has described Toytown as "the complete horse" ahead of his formal retirement this weekend.

Phillips was crowned world eventing champion aboard Toytown five years ago, and tomorrow afternoon's farewell at Gatcombe - the final day of this year's Festival of British Eventing - promises to be an emotional occasion.

"I think it will be quite difficult," she said. "It's the end of an era. He was the horse of a lifetime for me. We grew up together, we went through the levels together, and it all just seemed to go our way."

Phillips and Toytown, now 18, won individual and team gold at the 2005 European Championships, and just a year later in Aachen, Germany they conquered the world.

The horse's final appearance for Great Britain came in the 2007 Europeans in Italy, where he finished sixth individually and helped secure another team gold.

"The Worlds were amazing because we managed to back up what we did at the Europeans (a year previously] on a much bigger stage. It was an amazing feeling," Phillips said. "His movement, his character, it all combined to make the complete horse. And cross-country, he was just a machine.

"After you've had a horse like Toytown, you kind of have to go back to square one.

"I don't think I am ever going to find another horse quite like him, but hopefully others that will be good enough to go to the same level as he did. It would be great to do it on another horse."