Jamie Richards endured a bitter-sweet weekend with the decision to retire gun sprinter Wellington.
Speed king Wellington – goes back to Australia (Pic – HKJC)
Richards confirmed Wellington, winner of 12 races in Hong Kong, including four Gr1’s, and more than HK$68 million in prizemoney, would be retired after pulling up with an issue following Saturday’s Happy Valley trials.
“He’ll be retired Monday,” Richards said of the seven-year-old. “Such is life, he’s getting a little bit older now and we just didn’t want to take any risks with him – he’s been such a good horse.
“He’s going to enjoy a nice retirement. I think he’s going to go back to Kia Ora Stud in Australia, where he was bred, and he’s going to spend his retirement there.”
Richard Gibson trained Wellington, once acclaimed as Hong Kong Champion Sprinter, until the end of last season when the All Too Hard gelding transferred to Richards’ stable following Gibson’s retirement as a Hong Kong trainer.
