Gloria De Campeao: won world's first $10m race in Dubai in March

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker/racingpostpix.com 

Gloria De Campeao retired after injury

GLORIA DE CAMPEAO , winner of the richest race ever run in the first $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March, has been retired after suffering a tendon injury.

The Brazilian-bred seven-year-old was being prepared for the Cox Plate in Melbourne, but suffered a tear to his near-fore tendon after a routine workout.

"It happened last Tuesday," reported trainer Pascal Bary. "He wasn't doing anything special so maybe it is due to accumulated tiredness as he has been travelling a lot.

"He was a bit different for me as I usually receive yearlings and didn't get him until he was four so it was all new to me," added the trainer.

"We've asked a lot of him with the travelling and he's always replied yes. He is a super horse."

A poster horse for international racing, Gloria De Campeao ran in three consecutive Dubai World Cups and also landed the lucrative Singapore Airlines International Cup in 2009.

On his last start, he was beaten half a length by Lizard's Desire in Singapore, having defeated the Mike De Kock-trained five-year-old by a nose in Meydan.

The news comes soon after it was revealed Lizard's Desire is fighting the potentially fatal hoof disease laminitis.

Pascal Bary: trains globetrotter

  PICTURE: Mark Cranham  

A dual Group 1 winner, Gloria De Campeao, who accrued nearly £6 million in total prize-money, is a son of Argentine-based stallion Impression.

He won graded stakes in both Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo before he was switched to Europe to join Chantilly-based Bary in 2007, a transfer that has become a regular move for Swedish owner Stefan Friborg's best South American horses.

He raced at the Arc meeting before showing up well on the first of three visits to Dubai at the start of 2008, when he was second in three races including the final leg of the Maktoum Challenge before finishing eighth to Curlin in the World Cup itself.

He did better in 2009, coming second to runaway winner Well Armed at Nad Al Sheba before beating Presvis a head at Kranji in the SIA Cup.

Gloria De Campeao enjoyed his finest hour this year, however.

With the Dubai Carnival moved to the all-weather at Meydan and the World Cup purse boosted to $10m, he made all under Brazilian jockey TJ Pereira to land the richest race onthe planet after a frantic photo-finish from Lizard's Desire and Allybar.