End of the road for Attraction

Attraction’s glittering career has come to an end with connections opting to take no chances with the filly after she was found to be slightly lame.

Mark Johnston was preparing the multiple Group One winner for a tilt at the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, but she will now be retired to owner the Duke Of Roxburghe’s stud.

“I’m afraid she is definitely not going to run on Saturday and that’s going to be it,” said the Duke.

“That is the end of her career I’m afraid. Obviously it’s very sad but in maybe some ways I’m rather relieved.

“It’s a niggly little problem, but we had not really been able to get to the bottom of it and to find what it is and why.

“She had been very marginally lame, but you can’t be going into a Group One race with any sort of problems. We have therefore taken a decision that the logical thing is to say we are not going to run and therefore retire her.

“There is nothing else in England or indeed in Europe. We were looking at American possibilities before, but there is still an unresolved issue over her soundness at the moment.

“It’s nothing to do with her much-fabled action in front, she’s just marginally lame behind.”

Attraction will now return to her owner’s estate of Floors Castle in the Scottish Borders as the winner of 10 of her 15 starts, including five Group Ones and just under £900,000 (€1.3m) worth of win and place prize-money.

She also ended her racing career with a victory, having made all in trademark style to land the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown.

A daughter of Efisio, she had a well-documented ‘dishing’ action with her front legs and had her fair share of problems too, including a disastrous trip to Hong Kong in the spring, which took her a long time to recover from.

“She will be let down slowly and then come back to stud here, probably in the next week or two,” added the Duke.

“It’s fantastic that she went out in glory, having been a champion three-year-old, she has now won a Group One at four and finished on a high note.

“It’s very sad when you finish it, but we have now got the excitement of getting her back to stud and having foals in due course.”

Reflecting on his favourite moment from her career, the Duke said: “It’s got to be the 1000 Guineas. She had been a champion two-year-old and to come and win that first-time-out as a three-year-old after the problems she had, it has to be the high point.

“She gave me the most exciting thrill that I am ever going to have in racing and probably anything else in my life.

“Realistically, we were looking at just this race and maybe one other so we have got to be very thankful for everything we have had from her.”