Donnacha O'Brien has confirmed Fancy Blue, who handed the trainer his first two Group One victories, has been forced to retire due to injury.
The daughter of Deep Impact got O'Brien's first season as a trainer off to a dream start when winning the French Oaks at Chantilly in July, while she followed that success up with another top-level victory in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood later that month.
The three-year-old then claimed a third-place finish in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on her only subsequent start, although she had been due to run in last weekend's Prix de l'Opera at ParisLongchamp, but she was withdrawn as she was found to be one of O'Brien's horses that had consumed contaminated feed.
That incident is not related to why Fancy Blue has been retired, with O'Brien instead confirming that the Irish filly sustained a tendon injury during a routine workout on Tuesday.
“After sustaining a tendon injury in routine work yesterday morning, the decision has been made to retire Fancy Blue,” the County Tipperary-based handler confirmed on Instagram.
“We'll always be grateful for her and what she's done for us. We look forward to seeing her offspring on the track.”
