Ribchester given go-ahead to bid for glorious swansong in Mile

There will be one last hurrah for star miler Ribchester, with Richard Fahey on Thursday confirming the four-year-old will contest his final race in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar on Saturday week.

The four-time Group 1 winner will be retired to Kildangan Stud as a Darley stallion following the race, with possible engagements at Hong Kong and Japan ruled out in favour of a tilt at the prize in California.

Ribchester is a best-priced 4-1 to end his career in style in the Grade 1 contest, in which other British- and Irish-trained runners could include Suedois and Roly Poly.

Fahey said: “He has made it an easy decision for us as he’s been in fine form since the weekend.

"It would be brilliant to go out with a bang with him and I'd be more so delighted for the horse than for us if he was to do so. He’s been a star for us.

“He’s been a pleasure to train and we’ve been very lucky to have him. I’d love him to run a massive race."

Fahey saddled his only runner at the Breeders' Cup two years ago, when Birchwood, also owned by Godolphin, finished a close third to Hit It A Bomb in the Juvenile Turf at Keeneland.

The trainer added: “It was a great experience with Birchwood a couple of years ago and these are the races we want to have runners in.

"We'd all love to have runners in every race at the meeting, but we all know it’s tough to get just one horse with the ability to run at the Breeders’ Cup."