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Star Kiwi 4YO mare second highest-rated product of gun sire
Prowess's retirement deprives her of the chance to build the body of work that would back up the prediction of her co-trainer, Roger James.
The master Kiwi horseman said the daughter of Proisir had the potential to end her career the best horse he has trained, which is a big call from a man who trained the likes of Silent Achiever, Zonda, Giovana and Sixty Seconds.
The curtain was brought down on her career just three starts into her four-year-old season after a degenerative hoof condition discovered during her post-spring spell prompted connections to pull the pin on her racing career.
"The whole team at Kingsclere and the ownership group are absolutely devastated to share the news that Prowess's racing career has been cut short," James's Kingsclere Stables, which he operates in partnership with Robert Wellwood, said in a statement after the news broke.
"She is a once in a lifetime horse that gave us many thrills and changed many people's lives."
Prowess retires the owner of the second-highest winning Timeform figure by a son or daughter of Proisir, the son of Choisir who has taken New Zealand racing by storm in recent seasons.
The biggest of her eight wins were Group 1 victories in the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill and the Bonecrusher Stakes (2000m) at weight-for-age in her homeland, but her peak Timeform rating performance came in the Group 2 Crystal Mile at The Valley at her penultimate start.
She defeated Antino and Tuvalu that day and was awarded a 116 Timeform figure, which is the equivalent of 120 for a male horse.
The only product of Rich Hill Stud-based Proisir to have posted a higher figure in victory is now-retired mare Levante, who went 118 to win last year's Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa, while gelding Riodini ran to 119 when runner-up to Verry Elleegant in the 2021 Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m).
Prowess went 115 to win the Vinery Stud Stakes and 111 in her Bonecrusher Stakes win.
Her only unplaced run in 12 starts was her final racetrack appearance, in the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington, when she finished sixth.
