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Stud career beckons for dual Group 1 winner
Dual Group 1 winner Russian Camelot (Camelot) has been retired after being found to have suffered a tear in his near-fore tendon following his second place finish in the All-Star Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley last Saturday.
Trained by Danny O'Brien, the northern hemisphere bred colt retires the winner of four of his 11 starts, including the South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) and Underwood Stakes (Gr 1, 1800m), while he also recorded second place finishes in the Makybe Diva Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), Caulfield Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and finished third behind Sir Dragonet (Camelot) in the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m). The entire earned $2,346,225 in career prize-money.
Connections announced the decision on Thursday via a press release, with the stallion to be retired to stud duties this coming season.
"It's a shame his career ends prematurely, as I felt his best racing was ahead of him up in Sydney this autumn and to next spring and beyond, however, I have no doubt he will have a significant impact on our industry for years to come through his stud career," O'Brien said in a statement.
Russian Camelot was purchased by Jeremy Brummitt for 120,000gns from the Camas Park Stud draft at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2018 and he is out of unraced Cape Cross (Green Desert) mare Lady Babooshka, making him a brother winning filly Russian Camilla and a half-brother to No Trouble (No Nay Never), who has won twice.
Lady Babooshka herself is out of Listed-winning Sadler's Wells (Northern Dancer) mare Balalaika, making her three-quarter sister to Group 2 winner Alkaadhem (Green Desert) and the dam of Listed scorer Zanetto (Medicean).
The colt's third dam is Bella Colora (Bellypha) - the dam of Group 2 winner Stagecraft (Sadler's Wells), Group 3 winner Mullins Bay (Machiavellian) and Hyabella (Shirley Heights), with the latter the dam of Group 3 winner Poet (Pivotal), while she is also the grandam of Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed France (Desert Prince) and Listed-winning duo Media Hype (Tiger Hill) and Hippy Hippy Shake (Danehill Dancer).
Meanwhile, Bella Colora also produced unraced Bella Cantata (Singspiel) - the dam of Group / Grade 2-winning pair Caspar Netscher (Dutch Art) and Bella Sonata (Silvano).
"From the moment we bought him at the Tattersalls Sale in Newmarket, he has been a standout colt. Although we only saw him race 11 times, he made a significant impact on the Australian racing scene winning a Derby and at weight-for-age in the spring, as a NH three-year-old," said managing owner John Wheeler.
"He is a horse that just turned up in any weather and under any conditions, gave his all and never let anyone down. He was just an outstanding racehorse.
"Today is an extremely disappointing day for us all, however, we will be forever indebted to such a magnificent horse who gave us all the most exhilarating experience that we will never forget."
