THE champion two-year-old and multiple Group 1 winner Belardo has been retired and will stand at Kildangan Stud in 2017. A limited number of lifetime breeding rights will be sold in the son of Lope De Vega.

Just last week it was announced that last year’s Coventry Stakes winner Buratino would stand at Kildangan next season. The stud already stands over a dozen stallions including Cape Cross, Exceed And Excel, Shamardal and Teofilo.

Bred by Ballylinch Stud, Belardo earned championship honours at two with a victory in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, but the finest victory of his career came this season when he won the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, defeating Limato and Euro Charline.

He followed up that victory by running the star US mare Tepin to half a length when finishing second in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot with five Group 1 winners including Toormore, Ervedya and Amazing Maria among those behind him.

Belardo made a winning debut for trainer Roger Varian in the June of his two-year-old season. He stepped up to blacktype company for an impressive performance in the Listed Washington Singer Stakes over seven furlongs at Newbury, winning by nearly four lengths.

Belardo finished his season with a victory in the Dewhurst Stakes, winning by two lengths to be crowned European champion two-year-old of 2014.

At three, Belardo was beaten less than two lengths behind Gleneagles when fourth in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas, and later finished second to Solow in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Sam Bullard, director of Darley stallions, said: “Belardo showed true class and grit in winning both the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at two and the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at four. As a champion juvenile and a Group 1 miler at three and four, he offers breeders speed, class and precocity, as well as being from the outstanding sire line of our own Shamardal as a son of Lope De Vega.”