South Australian veteran Alcopop has been retired at the top of his game with connections putting the interests of the horse first.

Veteran South Australian gelding Alcopop has been retired. Photo by: Daniel Costello.

Already eight and due for a lengthy spell in the paddock, trainer Jake Stephens wanted to ensure the gelding has the best possible life in retirement rather than put him through the rigours of another spring campaign.

“I don’t really want to flog him around as an older horse, you see some of those good horses who keep running a couple of seasons past their best,” Stephens told Racing Victoria.

“I don’t want to do that to him when he’s done such an amazing job.”

It comes on the back of a career best preparation where the son of Jeune scored an overdue Group 1 win in the Mackinnon Stakes and ran a bold second behind Dunaden in the Caulfield Cup.

His performances at the Spring Carnival gave Stephens the confidence to test him on the international stage and he performed admirably to run third in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup.

Stephens has never held back with his admiration for the popular galloper and believes it is a “fitting” time to close the curtain on his racing career.

“He’s done so much for us that it’s a fitting way for him to go out we just want to make sure he has a nice retirement,” Stephens said.

Stephens said Alcopop’s retirement will be a comfortable life in the paddock as well as the possibility of some dressage and showjumping.

Alcopop’s career began in 2008 and from  34 starts he recorded 10 victories and collected $1.69 million in prizemoney.