Mutamam retired to stud

Alec Stewart today paid tribute to his stable star Mutamam, who has been retired from racing after finishing down the field in the Breeders` Cup Turf at Belmont Park on Saturday.

The six-year-old son of Darshaan, who has competed at the highest level throughout his career, will now stand at the English National Stud where Stewart is hoping he will proved to be a popular choice for breeders.

Hopes were high that Mutamam could sign off in style at the weekend from his long and distinguished career.

But Stewart reflected today that he the race could have come too soon for him, being just four weeks after he had won the Canadian International at Woodbine.

'Obviously I was very disappointed with the way it went for him,' he said today.

'But with the benefit of hindsight the race may have come too soon for him. Only one horse has won both races before and he had five weeks between races which would have been a help.

'When we got him out there to New York I felt that he wasnot quite as relaxed as he had been, although there was absolutely nothing wrong with him.

'The race was always going to be a swansong but it`s a shame it didn`t quite go to plan.'

Mutamam will now return to Stewart`s Newmarket yard before his transfer to the nearby National Stud, where he will stand for a fee of Stg£6,000 on October 1st terms.

'He was an incredibly versatile horse who was top-class at two when he finished third in the Racing Post Trophy,' Stewart continued.

'We will all miss him at the yard but he won`t be far away in his new home.

'I hope his last run won`t tarnish his record, he won seven Group races but it was incredible toughness and durability that was his biggest weapon on the track.'