The famed Gray Lord Glitters award-winning side has retired after a stellar career that saw him win over £2.2m in prize money.
Coach David O’Meara has pondered the possibility of bringing him back to the Sakir circuit to defend the Bahrain International Cup he won last November, but the nine-year-old has shown signs for saw that the old flame was no longer there.
Wearing the colors of the late Geoff Turnbull and his wife Sandra, the highlight of his career came when he won the One Queen Anne Stakes group at Royal Ascot in 2019, knocking Beat The Bank by the neck.
He also won Group One Jebel Hatta in Dubai last year, successively renewing Singspiel Shares in Meydan, Balmoral Handicap in Ascot and Strensall Three Shares Group in York.
A son of Whipper, gelding’s last success was in Group Two Singspiel in Meydan in February, one of four runs this year.
However, the relationships have called time in his playing career after he finished his final year at Bay Bridge in Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May.
O’Meara said: “There’s really nothing to be sad about. Every horse has to be retired.
“Obviously, if he’s still going, we’ll be back in Bahrain, as he’s spent the past few winters abroad, but we feel he’s had enough. It’s time to pack up.
“He’s had a good winter. He’s won the Bahrain Cup and Singspiel again and I don’t want him to fall – I want him to end the year well and this looks like the right time. .
“He’s had a good career. He’s won a lot of prize money and won a lot of big races and has brightened up us and been a huge flag bearer for the field.
“I know he’s campaigned a lot abroad, but to win close to two and a quarter million prizes is great for a horse living in the UK.”
Lord Glitters started his career in France before being bought for €270,000 at the Arqana Summer Sale in 2017 by the Turnbulls and delivered wins in 11 of his 46 starts.
His peak success in the UK was a career highlight for his owner, as O’Meara explains: “It has always been Geoff’s dream to get a Royal Ascot winner, so to win Queen Anne on the first day for him, he had a good day that day!”
