Harzand: Epsom and Irish Derby winner is retired

Harzand became the third successive Epsom winner not to race on

The Epsom and Irish Derby winner Harzand has been retired to be a stallion at his owner Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud in County Kildare.

The colt, trained in Ireland by Dermot Weld and ridden by champion jockey Pat Smullen, overcame a late injury scare to win at Epsom in June.

Later that month, the favourite sealed victory in the Irish Derby.

Harzand won four races this year but most recently finished ninth in flat racing's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

• Read: Racing's super studs

Analysis:

BBC horse racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght:

"With the Aga Khan's well-known commercial policy towards his racing and breeding interests, this is no shock.

"But being the third successive Epsom winner - after Australia and Golden Horn - not to race on, it will again spark debate about whether these top horses are being prematurely retired - though not as much, perhaps, as followed The Last Lion going off to stud after just one season.

"Clearly it is up to the owners, but it is still a pity we only get limited opportunities to witness their abilities being tested. However, the good news is that European champion Almanzor is due back in 2017."