Four-time Group 1 winner Appearance has been retired after suffering a near fore ligament injury during trackwork at Warwick Farm yesterday.
Appearance recorded her fourth win at Group 1 level in the Canterbury Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Appearance has been the star performer of the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival to date, winning the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m), Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) in impressive fashion, and was set to start the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday as favourite, but has been ruled out of the rest of the Carnival and will begin a career as a broodmare at the start of the breeding season.
“She worked yesterday morning and everything looked fine but late in the day we noticed some filling near the fetlock,” trainer Guy Walter told News Limited this morning.
“We had some scans done and late last night we got the results, which unfortunately shows she has suffered some ligament damage.
“I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with Henry Plumptre yet but I would say she has run her last race.”
Appearance made her racing debut in June of 2011, taking out the Bacardi Bar Handicap (1200m) at Canterbury, and scored her maiden win at Group level when she took out the Keith Nolan Stakes (1600m) at Kembla Grange during the 2012 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
The daughter of Commands started her 2012 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with fair performances in the Group 2 The Shorts (1200m) and Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1600m) before upstaging stablemate Streama to win the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day at the lengthy odds of $40.
Appearance proved that her win at the highest level of racing was no fluke when she scored a narrow victory over Red Tracer and Norzita in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens last year and added another Group 1 win to her resume when she took out the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1500m) at the same venue a fortnight later.
The five-year-old failed to fire in two race starts during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival, but returned to her best form in the autumn with three straight victories including a fourth Group 1 win.
Walter was clearly disappointed that the star mare would not have the chance to contest the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) and Queen Of The Turf Stakes during The Championships, but believes that Darley has another excellent addition to their broodmare ranks.
“She has been a wonderful mare with a fantastic race record,” Walter said.
“She is going to make an outstanding broodmare for Darley.”
Kerrin McEvoy was set to partner Appearance in the George Ryder Stakes, but will now ride stablemate Streama in the Group 1 event.
