Almost a year to the day since his electrifying G1 Phoenix S. victory, last year's European Champion Two-Year-Old Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) has been retired due to injury.
After disappointing in the G1 2000 Guineas, the 'TDN Rising Star' made light work of the opposition in the G2 Sandy Lane S. at Haydock before running second to Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
However, after trailing home behind Shaquille in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket, it emerged on Wednesday that the classy colt has been retired after suffering a condylar fracture on the right front fetlock.
“Little Big Bear is a super horse; that's the long and the short of it,” said his trainer Aidan O'Brien. “Different class, different gear and matured very early for a big horse. He's big, scopey, strong, clear winded and very, very fast–a class sprinter.”
Bred by Tim Hyde senior and junior of Camas Park Stud and Summerhill, Little Big Bear realised €320,000 as a yearling at Arqana.
Out of Longchamp listed winner Adventure Seeker (Fr) (Bering {GB}), Little Big Bear traces to the brilliant All Along (Fr) (Targowice) who notched up a tremendous sequence of victories in top races on both sides of the Atlantic.
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