Time called on Taghrooda career Oaks and King George heroine Taghrooda was hailed "an absolute star" after connections confirmed she has run her last race. The daughter of Sea The Stars was a stunning winner of the Epsom Classic in early June, but it was her victory against her elders and the males at Ascot that confirmed John Gosden's charge as an exceptional filly. Her unbeaten record went up in smoke when she suffered a shock defeat in the Yorkshire Oaks, but she once again showed her true colours when finishing third from a wide draw in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. Taghrooda will now be retired to take up broodmare duties for owner-breeder Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum early next year. Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager, Angus Gold, said: "The Arc was always going to be her last run and that has now been confirmed. "She's been an absolute star for us. In all my time, the only other filly we've had of that class is Salsabil, which shows you how rare they are. "She (Taghrooda) is blessed with so many things. "She has more speed than I expected from her pedigree. She is bred to stay, but I was surprised with how much speed she has, but I suppose that comes down to her class and quality. "She also has the most incredible temperament and I think that is probably the best thing of all about her. "She has been a joy to work with and John and his team have done a fantastic job with her all year. "We had the blip at York when she wasn't at her absolute best, but, apart from that, she hasn't let us down once. It's not too often you can say that. "She ran a fantastic race in the Arc from a tricky draw and we're very lucky to have her now for the stud. "She's been an absolute star." Asked which stallion could be the first to cover Taghrooda, Gold said: "Sheikh Hamdan and his stud managers will be working on that now." Paul Hanagan partnered Taghrooda in five of her six starts and identified the filly's cool demeanour as being a key attribute. Hanagan told At The Races: "I owe her a lot. She's done wonders for my career. "I knew the prestige of the race (King George) but I'll never forget the ovation we both got coming back in. "It was a massive day for the team and I was delighted for Sheikh Hamdan. "She was a very tough filly. She stayed well, but she did have a turn of foot. "The main thing was her temperament. She was an absolute joy to ride, she made my job very easy. "She's done us proud."
