Star three-year-old Press Statement has been officially retired to stud after suffering a laceration to his near-hind fetlock during Saturday’s Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick.

Valuable colt Press Statement has been retired from racing. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos

Jumping from the gates well, jockey Hugh Bowman allowed Press Statement to stride forward but was caught deep and outside the early pace set by Malaguerra and Goldstream.

Momentarily pulling ahead upon rounding onto the final straight, the Hinchinbrook colt quickly fell off the pace and was swallowed up by the small pack, eventually finishing close to four lengths behind winner English in fifth place.

Trainer Chris Waller had been thrilled with Press Statement’s condition leading into the All Aged Stakes, which has previously been underlined as a possible racing swansong for the multiple Group 1 winner.

Press Statement made only eleven competitive appearances at the races after debuting for Waller in the late stages of the 2015 Autumn Carnival; posting an impressive six wins and a further three minors.

Immediately stamping himself as a colt to follow when taking out the TAB Place Multi Plate (1100m) on debut on April 29^th, Press Statement repeated the dose in a Rosehill minor over 1350m three weeks later before making a particularly impressive transition to black type company when beating a talented field to the line in the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at Doomben in only his third start.

Resuming in spring for a close second behind Exosphere in the Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m), Press Statement failed to fire when fifth in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m), but again responded well with a dominant performance to win the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) on September 26^th.

Ending his breakthrough year with undoubtedly a career-best performance to win the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), the colt out of Kaaptive Empress resumed this time for success in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) on February 20^th.

Unable to quite make up the distance late when second to Le Romain in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m), Press Statement finished third behind stable mate Winx and Kermadec in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) on March 19^th, in what was his only other race start prior to the All Aged Stakes.

Press Statement retires from racing as undoubtedly Hinchinbrook’s best progeny to date, and an impressive $1.8 million in prize money.