Top British sprinter Starman has been retired. The Dutch Art colt is set to stand his first season at the Tally Ho Stud in 2022.
Trainer Ed Walker said: “It’s a huge shame as we were really looking forward to Saturday and confirming him to be the champion that he is.“I’ve always thought he was the best around and he’s certainly the best I’ve ever trained.”Covid meant that the colt, who was home bred by David Ward, did not make his first appearance until July of last year winning on his debut at Lingfield. He then broke the track record at Doncaster on his second run followed by victory in the Listed Garrowby Stakes at York last autumn.
Very soft ground at Ascot in the Champions Sprint didn’t suit and Walker was determined thereafter to avoid running in similar conditions.That ruled him out of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot this summer, for which he had been a huge fancy after his impressive comeback win in the Duke Of York Stakes at York in May on good to soft groundBut his top-level breakthrough was merely delayed ,and the following month Starman powered to a clear-cut success in the July Cup at Newmarket, where he gave Ed Walker his first Group 1 win as a trainer.The four-year-old went on to finish third in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, seemingly outstayed on very soft ground over 6 1/2f, and was then beaten just a short head by Emaraaty Ana in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on what turned out to be his final appearance.As the winner of five of his eight starts and earnings of  over £476,000 in prize money Starman retires as the top rated sprinter in Europe .