Pyledriver retired after suffering setback

William Muir has called time on the racing career of Pyledriver after his horse of a lifetime suffered a setback ahead of an intended appearance at Kempton on Saturday.

A dual Group One winner having landed the 2021 Coronation Cup at Epsom and last year's King George at Ascot, the six-year-old has suffered more than his fair share of injury problems during his career, but has nevertheless given his connections some fantastic days.

He proved the fire still burns bright when making a successful return from 11 months on the sidelines in the Hardwicke Stakes in June, his second Royal Ascot success after landing the King Edward VII Stakes three years ago, before finishing fifth in the defence of his King George crown in July.

The son of Harbour Watch was due to contest this weekend’s Unibet September Stakes ahead of a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but Muir, who trains in partnership with Chris Grassick, feels it is now right for Pyledriver to be retired.

"He worked on Friday and to be honest he was sensational. He’s never a horse we’ve galloped off the bridle and done anything stupid with, but it was just the way he did it, the way he moved, the way he looked and he marched off the gallops like a lion," said Muir.

"I actually said to the owners 'you’ve just seen your next winner' and he was fine 90% of the way home, but when he got back to the yard he was just a little bit sore in the same place we first got the suspensory injury before.

"I called my vet and he said he’d just tweaked it and had a bit of inflammation round it and he was really sore to touch it, but like Pyledriver does on Saturday morning he was 100% sound and bucking and kicking.

"We had him on the walker on Sunday and cantered him on Monday and the vet