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Bow Echo retired after setback as trainer George Boughey hails 'exceptional racehorse'

The unbeaten Group One winner was entered for Sunday's Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois in Deauville but Boughey has been forced to call time on his colt's brilliant career

[Bow Echo and Billy Loughnane starred on the track]

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Bow Echo and Billy Loughnane starred on the track(Image: John Walton/PA Wire)

Unbeaten star of the Flat season Bow Echo has been retired due to injury, trainer George Boughey has announced.

The miler took the 2,000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes in a stellar campaign as a three-year-old.

Bow Echo had been entered in Sunday's Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville, which would have been his seventh racecourse outing.

But an issue has led to Boughey reluctantly calling time on his stable star's career, which he shared with jockeys' championship leader Billy Loughnane.

In a statement, Boughey said, It is with great disappointment that we have to announce that Bow Echo has had a setback and will be retired from racing.

It has been the honour of a lifetime to train a horse like Bow Echo, He has given us some extraordinary days and taken everyone involved on a journey we will never forget. To retire unbeaten, having won the 2,000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes says everything about what an exceptional racehorse he has been.

[Billy Loughnane riding Bow Echo (R, yellow) to beat Ryan Moore (L, purple and white) at Royal Ascot]

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Billy Loughnane riding Bow Echo (R, yellow) to beat Ryan Moore (L, purple and white) at Royal Ascot(Image: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse)

Loughnane added: "Bow Echo has been the most unbelievable racehorse and has given me days in the saddle that I could only ever have dreamed of.

"To ride a horse like him at this stage of my career, and to win the 2000 Guineas, St Jamess Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes together, is something incredibly special.

I cant thank George and the whole team enough. George has trained him to perfection throughout his career and I feel incredibly lucky to have been Bow Echo's jockey in all six of his starts.Of course its disappointing that we wont see him on the racecourse again, but he retires unbeaten having done everything that was asked of him. It has been a privilege to ride him and hell always mean a huge amount to me.

Bow Echo's career began almost a year ago to the day with an easy victory in a one mile maiden at Newbury.

He then won a Listed race at Haydock before finishing his two-year-old campaign with a Group Two success in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket.

The son of Night Of Thunder began this season with a terrific performance in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May where he beat Gstaad.

He beat Gstaad again in a thrilling duel in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

[Bow Echo]

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Bow Echo swoops to beat Gstaad in the Sussex Stakes (Image: Getty Images)

And in what turned out to be his swansong, Loughnane conjured a devastating late burst from Bow Echo to win a dramatic renewal of the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on July 29.

Gstaad was second three times to him this season and their rivalry lit up the sport.

In the aftermath of the shock news, Aidan O'Brien's horse was made the 5-2 (from 4-1) favourite with Coral for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Spokesman David Stevens said: "It's extremely disappointing for connections and indeed racing fans that Bow Echo's racing career has ended prematurely, as his rivalry with Gstaad in particular has been an ongoing highlight of this Flat season.

"In his absence, the horse beaten three times by George Boughey's charge this season is now clear favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions day."

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