Sprinting sensation and Royal Ascot heroine Lady Aurelia retired

Dual Group 1-winning sprinter Lady Aurelia, who posted two memorable victories at Royal Ascot during a stellar career, has been retired. The news was first reported by TVG.

Owned by Stonestreet Stables and Peter Leidel, the Wesley Ward-trained filly stamped herself on a global stage when capturing the 2016 Queen Mary Stakes at the royal meeting and went on to beat the males in that year's Group 1 Darley Prix Morny en route to earning the Cartier Award for champion two-year-old filly.

Watch Lady Aurelia winning the 2016 Queen Mary Stakes

The daughter of Scat Daddy repeated her Royal Ascot success the following season with a win in the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes, but was seventh in this year's edition.

Stonestreet Farm's bloodstock adviser John Moynihan said: "She's sound and doing well. Peter and [Stonestreet owner] Barbara [Banke] just decided it was time. She's been great to everybody. She retires as one of the great ones that's for sure."

Like so many of Ward's proteges, Lady Aurelia first touted her talent in a two-year-old sprint race during Keeneland's spring meeting.

Lady Aurelia and Wesley Ward after victory in the King's Stand StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

On her first start, the bay filly captured a 4½f maiden by seven and a half lengths in April 2016. She again used the Keeneland track to kick-start her season the following spring when she defeated older fillies and mares in the 2017 Giant's Causeway Stakes before heading to Ascot for the second time.

"I was probably a bit selfish and lobbied to keep her going," Ward said. "She's so sound – kicking in her stall, feeling so good. I still felt there was more running in her. I wanted to keep her running, and I thought a race at Keeneland – if she could have rebounded, she would have been set up for Breeders' Cup. But I wholeheartedly stand by the owners' decision."

Watch Lady Aurelia's victory in the 2017 King's Stand Stakes

Lady Aurelia ended her three-year-old season with a tenth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar last November. She finished second in this year's Giant's Causeway prior to her effort in the King's Stand.

Bred by Stonestreet out of the Forest Wildcat mare D'Wildcat Speed, Lady Aurelia retires with five wins from ten starts and more than £600,000 in prize-money.

"She's been a tremendous filly and fantastic to me and the owners," Ward said. "Now I look forward to her next career. Hopefully she can have a foal who is as good as she was. That's what we all hope for."

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