Gold Trip has run his last race with the Melbourne Cup winner to be a banner resident at Australia’s newest stud farm.
The son of Outstrip, who also won a Turnbull Stakes at Group 1 level, will join the roster at Lovatsville, the operation that has taken over Leneva Park Stud.
Gold Trip injured a tendon in March and while the decision to retire him was not made immediately, it was now considered in the best interests of the rising eight-year-old.
Maher trained Gold Trip in partnership with David Eustace, who is now based in Hong Kong, and Australia’s leading trainer is sad that he is departing his stable but pleased that he has found a home at stud.
“This horse has just been remarkable,” Maher said.
“He delivered our first Melbourne Cup, and for that, he will always have a special place in my heart.
“But his Turnbull Stakes win was arguably a better performance, given the field he beat that day.
“The ownership group deserved all the success give the patience they showed in his first 12 months in Australia and I’m thrilled that we will get to see his progeny given he is such a beautiful horse.”
Bred in France, Gold Trip was recruited to Australia by Australian Bloodstock after 10 starts in Europe and while he had only won once, in the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe (2200m), he’d placed three times at Group 1 level and finished fourth in the Group 1 Arc De Triomphe (2400m).
After missing the 2021 Victorian spring, he returned 12 months later to finish a narrow second to Durston in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) before a luckless Cox Plate (2040m) ninth placing, which proved the springboard for a dominant Melbourne Cup win over 3200m.
Last spring he was an equally-brilliant winner of the 2000m Turnbull Stakes, having again placed in the Caulfield Cup before a fifth placing in the Cox Plate.
His final start was a third placing in this year’s Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield.
“There aren’t many horses that can front up in three of the biggest races in the country in consecutive weeks and perform like he did,” Australian Bloodstock’s Jamie Lovett said.
“He gave us the thrill of a lifetime in the spring of 2022 and we’re thankful that he retires as a healthy horse whose progeny will be seen on racetracks in Australia again.”
Gold Trip will take up residence alongside Royal Meeting, Fierce Impact and another new stallion, Generation at Lovatsville, where he will stand for a fee of $8800.
