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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Melissa Jones

Wonderful Tonight retired by connections after star racehorse picks up leg injury

Connections have had to retire star filly Wonderful Tonight after she picked up a leg injury.

David Menusier's stable star fractured a joint on the gallops on Friday morning, ending the trainer's hopes of running her in the Arc.

The four-year-old had been due to contest a key trial, the Qatar Prix Foy, at Longchamp on Sunday.

"She did her final piece of work this morning and was due to go tomorrow morning first thing to France," Menuisier said.

"She cooled down fine and it wasn't until two and a half hours later that she couldn't put her foot on the ground. The vets took a X-ray and she has a little condylar fracture in her fetlock, so it is game over."

Once she has recovered from the leg problem, it is hoped she will go on to have a successful second career.

Jockey William Buick waves to the crowd after winning the Hardwicke Stakes on Wonderful Tonight (PA)

The winner of the Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood in July, Wonderful Tonight earned the team more than £600,000 from her stellar efforts on the racecourse.

"It's hard to accept but at least we can save her and she can pursue a career as a broodmare," Menuisier added.

Owned by music mogul Christopher Wright, the daughter of Le Havre was being aimed at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October.

She was among seven horses declared for her warm-up for the Group 1 over the weekend, where she was due to meet Broome again.

Wonderful Tonight started her season with an impressive defeat of the Aidan O'Brien-trained stayer in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Overall she was victorious in six of her 11 career races, including two at the highest level – the Qatar Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp and Ascot's British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes.

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