2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain has been retired to stud. Picture: Darren Mcnamara Source: The Australian
MELBOURNE Cup winner Americain has been retired.
The US-bred, French-trained and Australian-owned stallion is now at the centre of an international tussle as studs scramble to secure him.
Owners Colleen and Kevin Bamford and Val and Gerry Ryan decided to retire the eight-year-old after he finished 11th behind Green Moon in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.
After briefly considering pushing on with the 2010 Cup winner, the owners opted to end his stellar career.
"He pulled a little sore and we think now is the best time to retire him, so that's what we've done," Gerry Ryan said. "He's been fantastic for us, but he is now officially retired.
"There's been quite a bit of interest in him already, both in Australia and in the United States.
"There is a demand in the US for Dynaformer bloodlines (Americain is by Dynaformer) and with Americain's record internationally, there is interest."
Bamford and Ryan bought Americain as a tried horse who had struggled in the US.
Ignoring the view that he might lack the class to be competitive at Group 1 level, Bamford and Ryan saw the horse blossom back in France under trainer Alain De Royer Dupre.
Apart from the Melbourne Cup, Americain also won the Geelong and Moonee Valley cups, the Zipping Classic and the Prix Kergolay.
In all, he had 34 starts for 11 wins, four seconds and four thirds for $5.9 million in prizemoney.
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