O'Brien Pays Tribute to Newly Retired Kew Gardens
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Photo: Edward Whitaker/Racing Post
Kew Gardens wins last year's Long Distance Cup at Ascot
Connections have called time on the career of top staying talent Kew Gardens, with the 2018 William Hill St. Leger (G1) winner retired to stand under the Coolmore National Hunt banner next season.
The tough-as-teak son of Galileo had not been seen since ending Stradivarius' mighty run of 10 group successes in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup (G2) in October, with trainer Aidan O'Brien paying tribute to "a top-class middle-distance horse.
"Kew Gardens is a big, good-looking horse, clear-winded, and an excellent mover," O'Brien said. "He has a super mind and is extremely brave."
Out of Con Collins' 2004 Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) victress Chelsea Rose, the 5-year-old was trained earlier this season with a tilt at the Dubai Gold Cup (G2) in mind, but he never traveled to the United Arab Emirates during the COVID-19 shutdown and was not ready in time to face Stradivarius in the Gold Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot last week.
The 119-rated performer won six races, including the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (G1) and Queen's Vase (G2) at Royal Ascot in 2018, and amassed £1,399,666 (US$1,823,538) in prize money, finishing out of the first three in only four of his 17 starts.
He also filled the runner-up spot in two top-level events last season, chasing home Defoe in the Investec Coronation Cup (G1) at Epsom and finishing closest to Search For A Song in the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (G1).