One of the stand out three year old fillies of the season, Fancy Blue, has been retired by connections due to picking a tendon injury that would have ruled her out for some time.
Fancy Blue has been a leading light for Donnacha O'Brien giving the young trainer his first ever Group One winner having seen off the Coronation Stakes winner Alpine Star that and also reversing her 1000 Guineas second, when beating Peaceful at Chantilly in the French oaks.
The daughter of Deep Impact, owned by the Tabor, Magnier and Smith partnership off the back of her first black type win went on to back that up at Glorious Goodwood in the Nassau Stakes.
Happy retirement to Fancy Blue
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 6, 2020
🏇 Six races
🥇 Four wins
🇬🇧 Group One Nassau Stakes
🇫🇷 Group One Prix de Diane
🇮🇪 Listed Staffordstown Stud Stakes
⭐️ A first Group One winner as a trainer for @donnacha_obrien pic.twitter.com/lLF21REbaX
Having landed that race she shot near the top of the Cartier Horse Of The Year awards and was only seen once more on a race track when third of 11 in the Matron Stakes on Irish Champions weekend.
She was supposed to be seen at Longchamp on Sunday in the Prix de l'Opera but she was one of the horses withdrawn because of contaminated feed given to the O'Brien's.
The filly will always be remembered as the horse that put Donnacha O'Brien on the map as a trainer and this term has been a superstar in Ireland, France and England having won four of her six starts and landed over £527,000 in total prize money.
Donnacha O'Brien said: “After sustaining a tendon injury in routine work yesterday morning, the decision has been made to retire Fancy Blue.
“We’ll always be grateful for her and what she’s done for us. We look forward to seeing her offspring on the track.”