Ghaiyyath retired to stud with Breeders' Cup Turf plan scrapped

Plans for a crack at the Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland were shelved after the five-year-old was reported to be sore following a routine piece of work.

The son of Dubawi heads to Kildangan Stud in Ireland as a four-time Group One winner and posted one of the performances of the 2020 Flat campaign in beating Magical by three lengths in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York in August.

Aidan O'Brien's filly gained revenge in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown the following month, on what proved to be Ghaiyyath's final start.

Appleby said: "Ghaiyyath has had a fantastic career, winning nine of his 13 races. His high-class cruising speed and relentless style of galloping was a joy to watch and as I have said before, this year he came together both physically and mentally and looked the finished article. It is obviously disappointing not to be taking him to the Breeders' Cup but the exertions of a long season, which started in Dubai in January, were starting to show and the decision has been made to retire him.

“He was an outstanding part of the Moulton Paddocks team and I know that his numerous top-level successes gave our Principal, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, a great deal of pleasure."

Joe Osborne, Managing Director of Godolphin in Ireland, said, “Ghaiyyath is a great addition to our roster: his superior ability as a racehorse combined with his looks and his pedigree will make him a sought-after option for breeders. We are delighted he will be standing at Kildangan Stud next season."

The decision comes on the back of Appleby also seeing his other stable star, Pinatubo, retired to stud recently.

William Buick rode Ghaiyyath in 11 of his 13 career starts, and eight of his nine victories.

He told Sky Sports Racing: “He’s a truly exceptional horse – and obviously this year, he’s the highest-rated in the world. Everything he did was just so flamboyant and so explosive – he really wore his heart on his sleeve, and I’ve been very privileged to have ridden him to some great wins.”

Buick was impressed with Ghaiyyath from his earliest days in the yard.

“As a physical specimen, he’s an amazing-looking horse – and everything he did early on was always ahead of everyone else,” he added.

“He’s just been a fantastic horse, from day one. He became renowned for that ability to go the pace he went and keep going, and even then at the end of his races to quicken from that pace and really put the race to bed.

“As he got older, more mature, he managed to channel his energy a little bit better – which we really saw this year.”

Buick nominated Ghaiyyath’s victory over Enable in this year’s Eclipse as his finest.

“For me, his crowning moment was probably at Sandown when he really confirmed that he was absolute top-drawer.

“Then he backed it up at York in the Juddmonte (International) – so those are the two that stand out.

“He’s certainly one of the best, if not the best, middle-distance horses I’ve ever ridden. He could do things that very few horses can do. The ability he had to keep up the pace was just phenomenal, over a mile and a half – that’s just something that you really don’t see.”