Golden Horn’s owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer has given a strong indication his champion three-year-old is likely to be retired at the end of the season.
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on October 4 is a likely swan song, for which the John Gosden-trained colt would have to be a late entry.
After Golden Horn’s unprecedented treble of the Dante, Derby and Eclipse Stakes, the race Oppenheimer would dearly love to win now is the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
“If the horse is looking good and John has no problem with him, of course we’ll go for the King George,” Oppenheimer said.
“I think the problem with the Arc and the Champion Stakes is the ground. Often both are run on soft ground and I don’t think that would suit his action at all.
“I’ve no intention of selling the horse. I would want to have some sort of control over the horse when he goes to stud and I want him to go to stud, if possible, in Newmarket.
“As for racing next year, I am not enthusiastic. It’s not something I really feel strongly about, but I would prefer not to.
“The Arc could easily be his last race. The Arc late entry is only about three-and-a-half days before the race so we could wait and see.
“If the ground was heavy or soft we wouldn’t enter.”
As well as the King George and the Arc, other races that might come under consideration are the Juddmonte International at York, the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and the Breeders’ Cup in America.
“He can’t do everything, unfortunately. If he went for the King George, I’m sure he wouldn’t go to York, but if we have to miss the King George he has already shown in the Dante that he loves the course and the distance, so it’s no problem.”
