Jean-Claude Rouget’s champion Almanzor retired from racing after disappointing return at Deauville
Almanzor had been kept in training as a four-year-old with the Arc as his target but after a disappointing return earlier this week connections have called time on his racing career
LAST season's champion three-year-old Almanzor has been retired.
Jean-Claude Rouget's colt was simply brilliant last year winning the French Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and the Champion Stakes at Ascot.
Connections kept him in training this year and had hoped to have a crack at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
However, he did not return to action until last Tuesday and finished a disappointing fifth which has prompted connections to call time on his glittering career.
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Sylvain Vidal, racing manager for part-owner Gerard Augustin-Normand, told Press Association Sport: "I spoke with all the team, and we have taken the decision to retire the horse.
"It was not an easy decision to take, but everyone was in 100 per cent agreement that it was the right thing to do.
"The plan was to go to the Arc, but after his performance last week we could not have gone there expecting to win.
"He was a very good horse and was the best three-year-old in Europe. He has done everything he needs to do on a racecourse."
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Almanzor won eight times from 11 career starts and earned over £2.1million in prize-money.
Vidal said that stud details for Almanzor will be announced "in a few weeks, after we have spoken to all the partners".