Mastercraftsman’s dual Group 1 winning son Kingston Hill has been retired from racing and will stand at Coolmore Stud next year.

“We had hoped to get Kingston Hill back for the latter part of this season but sadly this has not been possible and the decision has been made to retire him,” said trainer Roger Varian.” He was a very special horse for our yard giving us our first two-year-old Group 1 and classic successes. In another year he might well have won the Epsom Derby but he ran into a very good horse in Australia. He’s a beautiful mover with a great cruising speed and a turn of foot – pretty much everything you look for in a top class racehorse.”

Kingston Hill was purchased as a yearling by Paul Smith in whose colours he ran. “I was a huge fan of Mastercraftsman as a racehorse and was thrilled that Kingston Hill became his first Group 1 winner when he won the Racing Post Trophy,” said Smith. “It’s unfortunate that we haven’t been able to get him back this year as Roger was convinced he would have made an even better four-year-old. It’s great to see Mastercraftsman having another fantastic year with six Group winners including Amazing Maria.”

Bred by Ridgecourt Stud, Kingston Hill is out of Audacieuse, a Group winner in France for Elie Lellouche. His second dam is a half-sister to Danseuse du Soir who won the French 1000 Guineas, Prix Foret and Prix Robert Papin for the same trainer.

Second in the Epsom Derby behind Australia, Kingston Hill won the St Leger at Doncaster and his fourth place finish in last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hinted that he would be a major force this season on the track.