French Derby and Eclipse winner Constitution River has been retired to stud after suffering a tendon injury. Wootton Bassett’s son will stand at Coolmore’s Fethard base in 2027, with his fee set at €25,000.
The problem came to light during Coolmore’s annual end-of-year health checks, when a scan found damage to a tendon in his near-fore. As there was no certainty he would make his big-race targets in 2027, Aidan O’Brien admitted it was a blow to lose a horse he had hoped to keep in training as a four-year-old.
“It’s incredibly disappointing,” said O’Brien. “To be honest, he was the horse we were most looking forward to staying in training next year.” He added that the colt “has done more than enough to earn his place in the stallion yard”.
A Classic winner and an Eclipse hero
Constitution River won five of his nine starts, the first big one coming as a juvenile in the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at the Curragh. He made a winning return in the Dee Stakes at Chester in May before defying a wretched draw in stall 15 to land the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.
He then took on his elders for the first time in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in July. Ryan Moore had to wait for room three furlongs out, but once switched out, the colt quickened clear to win by three lengths.
A frustrating finale
That proved to be Constitution River’s final victory. He was third in the Juddmonte International at York in a trappy race, before filling the same spot in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, hanging left on both occasions.
His last run came in the Champion Stakes at Ascot last month, where he was fifth behind Ombudsman, who will soon sign off in the Japan Cup before heading to stud himself.
Bred to make his mark at stud
MV Magnier signed for him at €400,000 when he went through the ring at Arqana as a yearling. His dam is a sister to the multiple Group 1-winning mare Wonderful Tonight, with Camelot also featuring in the wider family. Constitution River was her first foal.
David O’Loughlin, who heads Coolmore’s sales team, said: “He is a phenomenal physical specimen. He is a serious talent with a proper stallion’s pedigree, and breeders are going to love him.”
Commercial notice: This article on GG.co.uk contains affiliate links. The offers we promote come from operators that we trust and our experts have first-hand experience dealing with. If you open an account through one of these affiliate links then GG will earn revenue. However, we ensure that the money earned goes back into improving and enhancing our coverage of horse racing and other sports, as we look to provide an excellent service to our growing audience.