Prince Bishop, African Story Retired
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Prince Bishop and African Story, the respective winners of the 2015 and 2014 Emirates Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), have both been retired, Godolphin announced.
The pair, both 8-year-old geldings, will spend their future days actively occupied in a Godolphin yard, albeit at a low-key level.
"They have both been remarkable racehorses over the years," said John Ferguson, bloodstock adviser to Sheikh Mohammed. "Both are 8-year-olds, they have both run on Dubai World Cup night each of the past four years. They have both won the biggest prize in world racing.
"They retire having given the Maktoum family many days of great pride and enjoyment. Sheikh Mohammed felt it was the right thing to retire them from the racetrack, but not to abruptly end their involvement in day-to-day activity in the stable, which they enjoy immensely.
"I am not sure of the logistics as yet, but they will be in one of the Godolphin stables and in all probability will be ridden every day in the immediate future," Ferguson added.
Both runners started their racing days with champion French trainer Andre Fabre. Both joined Godolphin after several races for Sheikh Mohammed and they each won in excess of $7 million during extensive racing careers in Europe and the Middle East.
African Story, a son of Pivotal, won eight of his 21 starts. To underline his versatility, he won the 2013 Godolphin Mile (UAE-II) and 2014 Dubai World Cup, both on Tapeta at Meydan.
Prince Bishop, who is by Dubawi, went on to win 11 of his 28 starts. He ran in three Dubai World Cups at Meydan, winning the 2015 edition on dirt.
"Both African Story and Prince Bishop showed great ability from their earliest days," Fabre said. "I am pleased they both went on to realize the potential they displayed when with me."
Saeed bin Suroor trained both African Story and Prince Bishop for their respective Dubai World Cup victories.
"They were very tough and reliable racehorses," he said. "Both geldings, they could adapt quickly to their environment no matter where in the world they were taken to race.
"The fact that they could each compete in top races on Dubai World Cup night four years on the trot says a lot for their class and durability."