Technician has been retired after suffering a damaged tendon in Thursday’s Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
The Martyn Meade-trained grey, winner of the Group One Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp last October, went off a well-backed 4-1 shot to deny Stradivarius a hat-trick of victories in the Ladies’ Day feature - but beat just one rival home.
“After the race, we found out he’d suffered a tendon injury and I’m afraid it’s career threatening, so we’ve decided he will be retired,” the Manton trainer reported.
“His run was so inexplicable - he had absolutely perfect conditions, and I was expecting a big run.
"We knew something was wrong, because that wasn’t like him at all.
“There’s no future trying to repair it, so we’ll have to make alternative plans for him now.
“Hopefully he can go to stud.”
Stradivarius, who racked up the Gold Cup treble with a 10-length supremacy under Frankie Dettori, could now head for a clash with stablemate Enable in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 4.
“It was talked about last year and it’s come back into play again,” said the six-year-old’s trainer John Gosden.
“It’s the concept of (1981 and 1982 Gold Cup winner)Ardross, who was a great, great Cup horse who went on to run a fabulous second in the (1982) Arc.”
On day four of the meeting, 5/1 shot Golden Horde raced clear of his rivals to win the feature Commonwealth Cup.
Living in the former stable of Clive Cox's past stars Lethal Force and Harry Angel, big things were expected from him this season and he delivered an early knockout blow.
"We always trained him last year with the knowledge that with the right sort of behaviour he would be a better horse this year as well," Cox said.
"It is just fantastic when it goes right and when dreams are realised."
Golden Horde is 3/1 with Betfair to follow-up in next month's July Cup.
