Following a routine end-of-season veterinary evaluation, Eclipse and French Derby winner Constitution River has been retired from racing and will take his place on the Coolmore roster for the 2027 breeding season.

Aidan O’Brien explained the sudden retirement: "It's incredibly disappointing. At the end of every year, we do a routine veterinary MOT on all the horses, and unfortunately, they found a lesion on his left front tendon.

"There was no guarantee he would be ready for his major targets next year and we never want to push them or take any chances, so the right thing to do is retire him now.

"To be honest, he was the horse we were most looking forward to staying in training next year. Both ourselves and Ryan thought he was one of the most brilliant three-year-olds we've had here, but that’s life unfortunately, and he has done more than enough to earn his place in the stallion yard."

Constitution River captured two of Europe's most prestigious Group 1s this year. He overcame a wide draw in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club and still recorded the third-fastest time since the distance was adjusted 21 years ago. He then dominated the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse with ease to win by three lengths.

These performances followed a brilliant seven-length victory in the Listed Dee Stakes in a race-record time, and his earlier success in the Group 2 Futurity Stakes as a two-year-old.

Coolmore’s Director of Sales, David O’Loughlin, said: “It is disappointing not to see him run on and perform to the best that everyone knew he was capable of, but we are absolutely delighted to have him in the stallion yard.

"He is a phenomenal physical specimen. To overcome a nightmare draw in stall 15 to win the stallion-making Prix du Jockey Club showed real class, and his performance in the Coral-Eclipse was exceptional. He is a serious talent with a proper stallion’s pedigree, and breeders are going to love him.”

By sire of sires Wootton Bassett, Constitution River is the first foal out of a sister to multiple Group 1-winning champion Wonderful Tonight, from the family of Champion Sire Camelot. He will stand in Fethard for a fee of €25,000.