According to an interview with trainer Jean-Claude Rouget by French publication Jour de Galop published on Monday, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe champion Sottsass has been retired to stud.
Reportedly, Rouget admitted just after the race he was unsure of when or if his champion would have his next start. Jour de Galop broke the news on Twitter on Monday evening that the four-year-old colt – in whom Coolmore purchased a 50 per cent share in January – would not run at the Breeders’ Cup Turf and had indeed been retired.
“SOTTSASS entre au haras ! Il ne courra pas la Breeders’ Cup. C’est ce que Jean-Claude Rouget nous a appris lundi. L’interview est à lire dans notre édition du soir !”
(“SOTTSASS enters stud! He will not run the Breeders’ Cup. This is what Jean-Claude Rouget told us on Monday. The interview can be read in our evening edition!”)
The Rouget-trained colt was third in the European middle-distance championship 12 months ago and bettered that on Sunday, emerging victorious over In Swoop and Persian King, with the favorite Enable back in sixth place.
Sottsass’ victory in the Arc came as a surprise in a race that clocked its slowest time since 1976. The victory had earned him a berth in the Breeders Cup Turf and according to Oddschecker he was already at 14-1 early odds.
Rouget’s charge had won six of his 12 career outings, including last year’s French Derby and the Prix Ganay in June this year, with his three top-level Group 1 wins all coming in the hands of Cristian Demuro.
Sottsass travelled to Ireland in September, where he was fourth to Magical in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown with Colin Keane in the irons. The chestnut son of Siyouin out of Starlet’s Letter, by Galileo, had his last win before the Arc in the Prix Ganay at Chantilly.
For his career, Sottsass accumulated $3.9 million in earnings, including more than $2.1 million in 2020.
Sottsass is owned by Peter Brant whose nom de course is White Birch Farm. Sistercharlie, Raging Bull and Dunbar Road, all Chad Brown trainees, are also campaigned by White Birch Farm.
Sottsass’ retirement was Déjà Vu as last year’s Arc winner, Waldgeist, also retired to stud after his victory.
2020 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Replay
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Photo: Jockey Cristian Demuro and Sottsass after Arc victory. Credit: Belfast Telegraph
