KEY POINTS:
Apache Cat passed his biggest test on Saturday when he proved too good for his rivals in the Group One Lightning Stakes at Flemington, while the beaten favourite Gold Edition was immediately retired after pulling up lame.
Trainer Ron Maund and owner Kevin O'Brien announced Gold Edition had
run her last race after she finished fourth.
"It's been a great ride. There probably won't be another Gold Edition, but I can look forward to her foals now," Maund said.
Jockey Stathi Katsidis told connections that the grey didn't feel right in her action and stewards later reported that she pulled up lame in the near foreleg.
"I could see by her action she wasn't relishing the high speed she goes," Maund said.
"We don't need to risk her. She's simply been wonderful."
Gold Edition bows out from racing having raced 37 times for 17 wins, 12 seconds, a third and A$3,182,195 ($3,664,012.67).
The dual Group One-winning Lion Hunter four-year-old was sent out at $1.85 and settled third behind Magnus and Ticklish.
Passing the 400m she was under pressure while Apache Cat ($5.50), ridden by Corey Brown, who settled him ninth of the 10 runners, stormed home to score by a neck from Swick ($21).
Stanzout ($31), who bumped heavily with Ticklish on jumping away, was 1 1/2 lengths away third with Gold Edition a short head back fourth.
Trainer Greg Eurell said he was a bit overwhelmed with Apache Cat's victory, his second at Group One level having won the Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington as a 3-year-old.
"It was a wonderful effort. It was a tough assignment. I had reservations about it, but full marks to him," he said.
"There were some question marks on him after his barrier trial and the enforced spell he had in the spring, but he showed what good horses can do. We might have to refocus on what we may do with him.
"He'll go to the Australia Stakes in a fortnight and then we'll have to sit down and work out what we will do.
"We had him nominated for the Hong Kong Sprint last December if he was going well enough, but this was the first real test he'd had against a couple of good sprinters and we can earmark some of the good sprint races for him now."
Eurell hasn't ruled out a trip to England for a winter campaign in the Global Sprint Challenge for the baldy-faced five-year-old who took out the opening leg of the eight-race series to on Saturday
"Nothing is set in concrete at this stage though," Eurell said.
The gelding, who has now won 12 of his 26 starts with six placings for $2,120,225 in stake money, disappointed Eurell when runner-up in a recent barrier trial at Cranbourne, and had an adverse reaction to an equine influenza injection last spring.
"It flattened him and we didn't have time to get him back on track for Hong Kong," the trainer said.
- AAP