Daily Mirror

DOUBLE BLOW AS ALPHA AND SAX RETIRED

- BY DAVID YATES

ALPHA CENTAURI and Saxon Warrior — between them the winners of six Group 1 races — were yesterday retired after suffering career-ending defeats at Leopardsto­wn on Saturday.

Alpha Centauri was floored at 30-100 when second to Laurens — whose trainer Karl Burke doubled up at the top level with Havana Grey in the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh yesterday — in the Group 1 Matron Stakes.

That came just over an hour before Saxon Warrior was denied by Roaring Lion in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes.

But, revealing Alpha Centauri to have suffered a chipped bone, the fourtime Group 1 heroine’s trainer Jessica Harrington said: “She’s been on a great journey and she’s taken me to places I’ve never been before.

“She won me my first Classic, she gave me my first Royal Ascot winner, so I’ve a lot to thank her for.” Saxon Warrior (left), the 2,000 Guineas winner who finished fourth to Masar when favourite for the Derby at Epsom in June, will not run again after sustaining a tendon injury.

Saxon Warrior’s trainer Aidan O’Brien, who saddled Kew Gardens to victory in the William Hill St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday and Flag Of Honour in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh yesterday, said: “He was incredible, just amazing, and he’ll be a lovely horse at stud.”

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 ??  ?? CENT AWAY Alpha Centauri suffered a chipped bone
CENT AWAY Alpha Centauri suffered a chipped bone

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