John Fairley's top sprinter Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) has been retired from racing with immediate effect after suffering a “very serious and concerning” injury in her stable on Tuesday morning.
The mare's trainers John and Sean Quinn, via a statement issued on social media on Thursday, said, “That morning she was transferred to Rainbow Equine Hospital and has been in their care ever since. Her progress over the past few days has been encouraging and whilst she still has a way to go to make a full recovery we are hopeful that with time and care she will be OK.”
The seven-year-old was bred by Fairley from the Danehill mare Pure Illusion (Ire). Unraced at two, Highfield Princess plied her trade in handicaps as a three-year-old before shooting up the ranks in the ensuing seasons. She claimed her first black-type success in the Listed Queen Charlotte Fillies' S. at Chelmsford at four before a standout season as a five-year-old when she posted back to-back Group 1 victories in three different countries in the Prix Maurice de Gheest, the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five. She claimed another top-level success last year in the Prix de l'Abbaye. In total, her 14 wins from 39 starts included six Group victories.
Fairley said, “What a fantastic mare she has been. An Australian owner commented last year that she was probably the fastest mare in the world. To have bred and raced a mare to win three Group 1 races in five weeks in 2022 was fantastic. We hope that she will make a full recovery and be fit to take up broodmare duties next year.”
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