Red Duke Breeders' Cup plans are shelved

PLANS to send Red Duke to America for a tilt at next month's Breeders' Cup JuvenileTurf have been shelved after connections decided to call time on his two-year-old career.

Churchill Downs had been on the agenda for the Superlative Stakes winner but trainer John Quinn has decided he will not run again this year after beating just one rival home in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on his most recent outing.    

"Red Duke has started to show all the signs of a horse who is feeling the effects ofa long year," Quinn said on his website. "He has been very quiet since running slightly below par at Newmarket, where we didn't feel he ran to his best for one reason or another.

"It would be unfair of me to take the colt and his owners half way around the world to run when I feel he may not be up to performing to his best.

"It is for this reason I've decided it best to rest him now for the winter and look towards a three-year-old campaign in the UK and abroad. I'm sure he will come back as good as ever and repay our faith in him.

News that five-time Group 1 winner Dream Ahead has been retired to stand at stud resulted in Goldikova and Strong Suit being cut for the Breeders' Cup Mile.  Goldikova is now no bigger than 9-4 with William Hill and Strong Suit now a topprice of 10-3 with Victor Chandler.