The Queen and John Warren at Ascot. Pic: Courtesy of Great British Racing.

By Simon Jackson.

Australian trainer Gai Waterhouse revealed today that the Queen’s racehorse Carlton House has been retired and will commence breeding duties at Darley Stud this season.

The six-year-old had been a leading fancy for the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in Melbourne in October after a series of good runs in Sydney, which included a short head second in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes and third in the valuable Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The son of Street Cry impressed in the UK when trained by Sir Michael Stoute, winning the Dante Stakes before finishing third in the 2011 Derby won by Pour Moi.

Australian Associated Press Pty Limited (AAP) report that Carlton House, the winner of three of his 15 starts and over £772,000 in prizemoney, will command a service fee of (AUS) $16,500 at stud.

John Warren, the Queen’s bloodstock and racing advisor said “Carlton House is such a magnificent and correct individual. He is by one of the most important stallions in the world.

“Carlton House proved he was high class from the moment he won his two-year-old maiden at Newbury by nine lengths and he was rated up there with the very best.”

Alastair Pulford, Darley’s head of sales in Australia said: “We are delighted to stand a son of our world-renowned stallion Street Cry on our Kelvinside roster.

“Carlton House possessed the precocity to be a tearaway winner at two but had that famous Street Cry durability which saw him mixing it with the best at six.

“His pedigree is top class and he is a complete outcross for Danehill, Danzig and other Northern Dancer line stallions.

“We look forward to showing him to breeders in the coming months.”

 Read ‘Horse Talk with Simon Jackson’ at London24 for the latest horse racing news.