Crystal Ocean has run his last race following a leg injury during his training for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Sir Michael Stoute’s five-year-old suffered a leg injury during exercise in Newmarket on Thursday and underwent surgery on his hind cannon bone.
While his future at stud will not be affected, his racing career has been cut short after eight wins from 17 starts including the Group One Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
That was his breakthrough success at the top level and he subsequently went down fighting when second in a King George thriller with Enable and again when he came off second best following a Juddmonte International tussle with Japan.
The son of Sea The Stars retires with over £2,000,000 in career earnings to his name.
Peter Stanley, spokesman for owner Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, said: "He's had to have two screws inserted into a cannon bone.
"He's fine after surgery, he's come through the operation and is up and about.
"At this stage the vet sees no problem at all in him heading to stud, but it is early days.
"Obviously it didn't happen long ago, but the hope is that he makes a full recovery."
Crystal Ocean was generally the 7/1 third favourite for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe before injury struck, so there are currently minor ripples in the ante-post market.
Enable is hardening as odds-on favourite and is 8/11 from 10/11 in places, while Japan (best-price 5/1), Sottsass (8/1) and Ghaiyyath (12/1) are shortening with some layers.
- Odds correct at 1815BST on 12/09/2019
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