'He's taken the whole team on a terrific ride' - dual Group 1 winner Artorius retired

Australian sprinter and dual Group 1 winner Artorius has been retired, connections have revealed.

Artorius, who was trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, made 17 career starts for the father-and-son partnership and earned more than £1.2 million in prize-money.

His final racecourse appearance came in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he finished three lengths behind Khaadem in fourth.

Freedman Racing tweeted: “Following Artorius’s brave fourth placing in Saturday’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, the decision has been made to retire him to Newgate Farm.

“He retires the winner of two Group 1s from his 17 starts. Of his 17 starts, 12 were at Group 1 level and he placed at the highest level in both the northern and southern hemispheres.

“He has taken the whole team at Freedman Racing and all his owners on a terrific ride with his two Group 1s and two trips to Royal Ascot. We wish the team at Newgate Farm all the best with him and look forward to seeing his progeny in the stable in the years to come.”

Purchased for A$120,000 (£63,000/€73,000) from the Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2020 by the Freedmans and Julian Blaxland, Artorius finished second on his racecourse debut at Geelong in January 2021.

He went on to land his first Group 1 victory in the Neds Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on his third start a month later, before winning another in the Furphy Canterbury Stakes at Randwick this March.

The colt's first appearance outside of Australia came at the royal meeting last year as he finished third to Naval Crown in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes. He then filled the same position in the July Cup at Newmarket a month later, finishing two lengths behind the winner Alcohol Free.

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