Guignol retired but stud plans not finalised for three-time Group 1 hero

The retirement of Guignol, a three-time Group 1 winner in his native Germany, has been confirmed after he was declared a non-runner in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on Sunday due to injury.

Jean-Pierre Carvalho, who trains the six-year-old entire for breeder Georg, Baron von Ullmann, hinted at the weekend that the horse might have run his last race and so it has proved.

Gebhard Apelt, who manages von Ullmann's Gestut Schlenderhan, told German press: "Guignol was not injured so badly that he wouldn't have been able to run again next season, but he will be seven by then and we wouldn't want to compromise the health of such a valuable stallion prospect.

Apelt could not provide further information on Guignol's future as a sire, but he will certainly be in demand in Germany, where he has proved one of the best racehorses of recent years. He holds international appeal on pedigree too.

Guignol is by the great Cape Cross, whose sons include the Classic sire Sea The Stars and well supported young stallions Awtaad and Golden Horn. Cape Cross is also damsire of Derby heroes Australia and Masar.

Guignol is out of Italian Oaks heroine and Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Guadalupe, a daughter of legendary German sire Monsun who has produced another Group 1 winner in Guiliani as well as the dam of Group 2 scorer Guardini.

Furthermore, Guadalupe is a sister to Getaway, winner of Germany's most prestigious all-aged race, the Grosser Preis von Baden, and now a promising National Hunt stallion.

Guignol won the Grosser Preis von Baden himself last September and also notched back-to-back successes in the Grosser Preis von Bayern in 2016 and 2017.

His last run came when third to old rival Iquitos in a Group 2 at Baden-Baden last month.

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