Adayar won the 2021 Derby and King George for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin; he struggled to fully regain his best form after an injury setback in 2022 and has been retired to stud after being beaten at 1/3 favourite on his final start
Derby and King George winner Adayar has been retired from racing and will head to stud, owners Godolphin have confirmed.
At his best during a blistering 2021 campaign, Charlie Appleby’s star caused a 16/1 shock in the Classic at Epsom under a stunning ride from Adam Kirby.
The following month Adayar headed to Ascot and became the first horse for 20 years to follow Derby victory with success in the King George.
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Despite running a belting race in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe that year, Adayar went on to disappoint on Champions Day back at Ascot, before an injury setback saw him sidelined for 11 months.
The final of his five career victories came down at Group Three level in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket this year but he could not regain his top form in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and again in the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket when beaten as 1/3 favourite on his final start.
Writing on Godolphin.com, Appleby said: “Adayar provided the team with two outstanding days on the racecourse at Epsom and Ascot and has been a firm favourite in the yard for the past three seasons. He has been an absolute pleasure to train.
“He will be sorely missed at Moulton Paddocks but we look forward to watching him in his new career at stud and are quite sure he will be a huge success.”
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