Thanks for the memories – Inspiral bows at Newmarket

“She’s right at the top of our tree”. That was the verdict from Cheveley Park Stud after the curtain came down on the brilliant career of Inspiral following a brave effort in defence of her Virgin Bet Sun Chariot crown at Newmarket.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained daughter of Frankel has been a star for connections since her two-year-old days, striking at the highest level at two, three and four.

A winner at Royal Ascot and of the Prix Jacques le Marois twice, she amassed six Group One victories in total during a stellar on-track career.

Arguably her finest hour came in the shadows of the Hollywood mountains when landing the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, but there was to be no blockbuster ending, despite showing her old spark to run Tamfana close in her Rowley Mile swansong.

She ends her final year in training without adding to her nine career victories, but bows out as one of the best to don her owners’ red, white and blue silks and will now head back to their Newmarket base in preparation of the next stage of her career as a broodmare.

Richard Thompson, whose mother Patricia owns the famous stud, said: “She’s been brilliant and we have had a hell of a journey with her.

“She’s won six Group Ones over four seasons and run in about 12 Group Ones and to breed her and then the days we have had with her have been marvellous. For my mother, the family, myself, it has just been brilliant.

“She’s just finished second there in a good Group One and she has run her heart out and the ground hasn’t suited her totally. She was travelling beautifully there and then when she was asked to quicken she was just struggling.

“It was three years ago that she won the Fillies’ Mile here and she’s still run very well. Fingers crossed hopefully we can breed a champion now and we can own it.

“With six Group Ones she’s right at the top of our tree with Russian Rhythm. We’ve had a lot of very good fillies, but a Breeders’ Cup and two Jacques le Marois’ against the colts – two great days in Deauville – she has been nothing short of fantastic.”

Inspiral – who built up a fine association with Frankie Dettori before his relocation to America – has spent all of her years in training at Clarehaven, with the Gosdens overseeing her many phenomenal achievements on the racecourse.

John Gosden provided his own assessment of the five-year-old who has long been a standard bearer at his Newmarket yard.

He said: “She won here on fast ground last year and obviously won on fast ground at the Breeders’ Cup, but this ground has never really been to her liking.

“The Thompsons have very sportingly wanted to run her here then retire her and she has run a great race. Take nothing away from the winner there who is very smart, but Rab was very clear that was not her ground.

“She’s had a wonderful career, she was champion at two, champion in Europe at three and then a champion in America at four.

“This year we have run into a couple of little issues and then in this race we have been caught out by the ground. She’s run a magnificent race on ground she didn’t like.”