The globetrotting sprint star from South Africa, Shea Shea, ran his last race last week. The horse’s connections decided to end his racing career that spanned four years and 26 races after a disappointing run in the Nunthorpe Stakes that saw him beat just one horse.
It followed a run in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, where he only managed to place 11th out of 16 runners. He was beaten in both races by winner Sole Power.
Shea Shea has been retired after 26 races. PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Shea Shea goes into a happy retirement as the winner of 11 of his 26 starts, taking home £854,436 in prize-money along the way.
The triple Group 1 winning seven year old, trained by Mike de Kock, has been a regular in some of Britain’s top sprints in recent years, including the July Cup and two consecutive runs in the Nunthorpe and King’s Stand, which he failed to win last year by just ¼ of a length. Coincidentally, this race was also won by Sole Power.
His finest moment came during an international journey in 2013, where he beat an international field – which also included Sole Power – in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan. Not only did he win, he smashed his own track record in the process.
Announcing his retirement, De Kock told his website: “His bleeding has become an issue and we won’t persist with him any longer. He was a naturally competitive horse, a superb galloper and a consistent, high-class achiever.
“Shea Shea thoroughly deserves to rest and enjoy himself without the pressures of travelling and the testing preparation programmes that go with competing so often alongside the best sprinters in the world.
“We’ve found him a wonderful home at Mauritzfontein Stud, he will become an honourable resident of their famous paddocks. Jessica Slack and her staff will ensure he gets the kind of care he is worthy of.
“I’d like to convey the stable’s gratitude to Shea Shea’s owners, who have been a pleasure to deal with. We were privileged to see a more personal side of Brian Joffe [part owner], whose spirit and joy at the racetrack was heart-warming. Brian loves horses and he always put Shea Shea’s interests above anything else, he suggested and fully supports the horse’s retirement.”
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The post Sprinter Shea Shea Retired after Disappointing Nunthorpe Run appeared first on Horse Racing UK.
