Racing: Injury ends One Cool Cat saga

One cool cat, the two-year-old star of last year who has been beset by physical vicissitudes this season, finally limped into retirement yesterday.

One cool cat, the two-year-old star of last year who has been beset by physical vicissitudes this season, finally limped into retirement yesterday.

The three-year-old suffered a condylar fracture of his near-hind leg on the Ballydoyle gallops but after surgery in a local veterinary hospital the prognosis for his recovery was upbeat. He is likely to start his stud career next season at Ashford, Coolmore's Kentucky base. Though a dual Group 1 winner as a juvenile, the son of Storm Cat never fulfilled that promise, most notoriously when he beat only one home as favourite for the 2,000 Guineas. He was afterwards discovered to have suffered an irregular heartbeat. A reversion to sprinting brought a Group 3 success in Ireland and a third place in the Nunthorpe Stakes.

* Grey Swallow was the subject of heavy support for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe yesterday and is now a 7-1 chance. The Irish Derby winner will be supplemented for Sunday's Longchamp showpiece. At yesterday's penultimate declaration stage 21 runners remained, with last year's runner-up Mubtaker looking increasingly doubtful.