Group 1 hero Belardo retired to Kildangan Stud for 2017

Belardo, a dual Group 1-winning son of Lope De Vega, has been retired and will take up stallion duties at Darley's Kildangan Stud for the 2017 breeding season, with a limited number of lifetime breeding rights to be sold in the four-year-old.

Bred by Ballylinch Stud out of the Danehill mare Danaskaya, Belardo was picked up by Ted Voute for €100,000 as a yearling at Arqana's August Sale on behalf of Prince A A Faisal. He went on to make a winning debut for Roger Varian in late-June 2014.

That win was followed by a Listed success in the Washington Singer Stakes at Newbury, before he rounded off his juvenile campaign with a two-length victory over Kodi Bear in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, after which he was crowned champion two-year-old colt of 2014.