Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Westover suffered a career-ending injury in the race and has been retired to stud.
Trainer Ralph Beckett was targeting the Breeders’ Cup Turf with the four-year-old son of Frankel but his owner-breeders Juddmonte broke the news on Thursday morning [Oct 5] that the colt’s career is over.
“I am very proud of the horse and what he has achieved,” commented Beckett. “He gave his all every day at home and on the racecourse and we will all miss him.”
Westover scored twice at G1 level, notably winning the Irish Derby (under Colin Keane) as a three-year-old by seven lengths at The Curragh before adding this year’s Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (under Rob Hornby) to his CV.
However, he was also known for a series of gallant efforts in defeat, having been second four times this season in some of the world’s top races. Westover was runner-up to world #1 Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan before going down by only a head to Hukum after a ding-dong battle for the King George at Ascot.
Only the Ace Impact was too good for him last weekend in the Arc, where he raced prominently under Hornby before going down by a length and three-quarters to the brilliant unbeaten winner in Europe’s richest race.
Juddmonte broke news of Westover’s retirement in a statement, saying: “He has given us some tremendous pleasure over the last three seasons, highlighted by his Irish Derby win and his track record-breaking performance in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
“This year he has shown an exceptional level of talent to compete with the best middle-distance horses in the world. Juddmonte are honoured to have bred and raced such a talented colt and he is up there with the very best of Frankel’s sons.”
Speaking to the Racing Post, Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon explained that Westover "presented with a bit of swelling" 48 hours after the Arc before further tests showed up an issue and the decision was taken to retire the colt.
Stud plans are yet to be announced.
• Visit the Juddmonte website
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