ANTHONY Honeyball has paid tribute to Ms Parfois, calling her ‘a brilliant flag-bearer for the yard’ after she was retired following a tendon injury to her near fore.

A dramatic two-week spell saw Parfois go from a Grand National hope, to the news of her retirement.

In a statement on his website, Honeyball said: “Ms Parfois has been a brilliant flag-bearer for the yard and her owner Martyn Chapman.

“Given that she is now rated 153 over fences we will be extremely lucky to unearth another mare as good as her.

“It is the latest blow for the yard during a frustrating season, when a combination of the virus and unseasonably quick ground over the winter have restricted opportunities for our horses.

“A fortnight ago we had such high hopes that Ms Parfois would run a big race in the Grand National at Aintree, following her brilliant run when she finished second in the Midlands Grand National.

“But she was then held up with a poisoned foot and once that cleared up she showed signs of straining a tendon.

“Although we feared the worst a week ago we felt we had to give the leg a chance to settle down. But the strain is still there and at this stage of her life it made sense to retire her.

“As Ms Parfois was at her best on testing ground we were already looking ahead to the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow in Christmas week.”