HURDLER De Bon Coeur, winner of 13 of her 16 career starts, including three Grade 1s and a total of 10 graded races, has been retired, her trainer, François Nicolle, announced on Wednesday morning.

Despite being below par when finishing second behind the Willie Mullins-trained Benie Des Dieux when defending the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil in May, it had been hoped that she would be able to race on.