ARTORIUS, the Australian globetrotter who raced in memory of a five-year-old girl, has been retired.
Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Artorius ran three times in Britain and never finished outside the top four.
A star who earned over £1.2million in prize money, the Artorius story is far more than what he achieved on track.
He was bought for around £63,000 and one of his owners is Melbourne accountant Liam Money.
Money and his wife Jo lost their five-year-old daughter Grace to brain cancer five years ago and at the time, Liam noticed the Freedman’s purchase of Artorius.
The colt’s damn was a horse called Gracie’s Lass, prompting Money to buy a 5 per cent share.
Speaking to Racenet.com.au prior to Royal Ascot, Money said: “He’s been massive for us as a family.
“He is so much more than a horse to Jo and I, and to Ellie (now 8) and Poppy (now 7).
“Grace was a real animal lover. That was also part of the reason for us buying into the horse. You could never have dreamt where this has taken us as a family.”
The journey will continue for the family, as Money has breeding rights to Artorius and they’ve bought into a broodmare who will mate with him.
The broodmare’s name is Grace’s Secret, which you can’t help but smile at.
Artorius finished third in both last year’s Platinum Jubilee Stakes and the July Cup, before returning to finish fourth in last week’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
Back in his native Australia, he won two Group 1 races, including this year’s Canterbury Stakes at Randwick.
He also won the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield as a two-year-old, beating the top-class Anamoe in the process.
Freedman Racing tweeted: “Following Artorius’s brave fourth placing in Saturday’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, the decision has been made to retire him to Newgate Farm.
“He retires the winner of two Group 1s from his 17 starts. Of his 17 starts, 12 were at Group 1 level and he placed at the highest level in both the northern and southern Hemispheres.
“He has taken the whole team at Freedman Racing and all his owners on a terrific ride with his two Group 1s and two trips to Royal Ascot.
“We wish the team at Newgate Farm all the best with him and look forward to seeing his progeny in the stable in the years to come.”
