Japanese star Equinox retired to stud

Equinox, the world’s highest-rated racehorse, has been retired to stud.

The four-year-old was a stunning winner of the Japan Cup in Tokyo last Sunday, showing an electric turn of foot to win by four lengths from a field full of previous Group and Grade One winners.

That victory saw Tetsuya Kimuda’s charge extend his winning streak to six, with the son of Kitasan Black last suffering defeat when edged out in the Japanese Derby in May of last year.

Equinox has since won two editions of the Tenno Sho (Autumn), the Arima Kinen and Takarazuka Kinen at home, with his sole international success coming in the Dubai Sheema Classic back in March, when he easily accounted for Ralph Beckett’s dual Group One winner Westover by three and a half lengths.

The colt retires having won more than £14million in prize money and his regular rider Christophe Lemaire paid tribute in a social media post illustrated with a picture of the pair after their latest Tokyo victory.

He posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Equinox: ‘keep safe guys, I did my time!’ Christophe: ‘you reached the top partner, retirement well deserved. Enjoy! And thank you.'”