Guineas Hero Retired To Stud Coolmore have announced the retirement of UltimatePoker.com 2000 Guineas winner Footstepsinthesand due to a foot problem. The Giant´s Causeway colt is set to stand in Australia after connections decided to call time on his three-race career. A statement on www.coolmore.com said: 'A niggling problem with the foot he bruised on the very fast ground at Newmarket has forced Footstepsinthesand´s premature retirement. 'Although nothing major, the injury requires rest, which would rule him out of the summer´s major mile events.' Useful miler Antonius Pius has also been retired to Coolmore´s Australian outfit after disappointing when last in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at the Royal meeting last week. Footstepsinthesand stamped himself a likely Classic contender when winning the Group Three Kilavullan Stakes as a two-year-old, and he was a well-fancied 13-2 shot in the Guineas. His one-and-a-quarter-length win over Rebel Rebel at Newmarket was a first major win for the high-profile partnership of trainer Aidan O´Brien and jockey Kieren Fallon. It had been hoped that he would follow up in the Irish equivalent, but his foot injury ruled him out, leaving the way clear for Godolphin´s Dubawi, who could only manage fifth behind Footstepsinthesand at Newmarket.(C) PA Sport
