SURPRISE Cox Plate winner Shamus Award has been retired from racing and will stand at Widden Stud in Australia next season for a fee of A$27,500 (£15,080/€18,360).

The son of young sire Snitzel defied odds of 20-1 when breaking his maiden in the Group 1 event, besting such top-class runners as Foreteller, Fiorente, It’s A Dundeel and Seville in the process. The Danny O’Brien-trained colt returned later in the season to land the Australian Guineas – becoming the first horse to complete the double.

On Thursday, O’Brien tweeted: “Very pleased to announce Shamus Award off to Australia’s leading Stud. Over to you Widden!”

Widden Stud, in New South Wales, will stand 11 stallions for the coming season. Making the announcement, stud owner Antony Thompson said: “Shamus Award is the first three-year-old ever to win the Cox Plate/Australian Guineas double and we are thrilled to have him join our roster alongside our other new addition, the brilliant dual Group 1-winning sprinter Zoustar – who also made history as the first three-year-old to win the Group 1 Golden Rose/Coolmore Stud Stakes double.

“To be honest, it feels a little like déjà vu, starting off two young stallions together that we believe are the best sire prospects in the land.

“We did it a few years ago with Sebring and Northern Meteor, which proved incredibly successful, so I had no hesitation in seizing the opportunity to do the same again this year.”

Click here to continue reading the article about Shamus Award