Dual G1-winning Australian sprinter Epaulette retired to stud and will shuttle to Darley in Ireland for the 2014 season

A winner of more than €1.3 million, Epaulette impressed from the moment he stepped onto the racecourse. After easily winning his first two races including a six-furlong Listed event on only his second start, Epaulette contested the G2 Todman Slipper Trial, a race won ten years ago by fellow Darley stallion, Exceed And Excel. In the Todman, Epaulette met subsequent Champion Pierro for the first time and was denied victory by only a nose.

Epaulette returned at three to take the six-furlong G1 Golden Rose in record time then stretched his speed out to a mile to place in a high-class running of the G1 Caulfield Guineas a month later. He then found only queen of the turf Black Caviar too good in the six-furlong G1 T J Smith earlier this year but once again lifted to record his second victory at the highest level in tremendous style, beating six G1-winning sprinters in the G1 Doomben 10,000.

Epaulette’s three-year-old rating would put him second only to Camelot in Europe in 2012 and he is rated within a pound of this year’s star European sprinter Lethal Force.

By one of Australia’s leading sires and a grandson of Danehill, Epaulette is out of the Singspiel mare Accessories – also dam of record-breaking Guineas winner, multiple G1-winning juvenile and fellow Darley stallion, Helmet. Her other foal to race is Bullbars, a G3 winner who was second in the G1 Australian Guineas, and this is a family packed with European Group form.

Sam Bullard, Darley’s Director of Stallions said, “We are delighted that Epaulette will be joining Exceed And Excel, Helmet and Sepoy on the shuttle from Australia for the forthcoming breeding season. He was a multiple G1 winner whose peers were two of Australia’s best racehorses of all time and he is a great-looking young horse – very much what one envisages when Australian sprinter is mentioned. He has a superb pedigree and being a three-parts brother to Helmet - who was so well received by breeders in his first season - we are sure that Epaulette will prove extremely popular.”

Epaulette’s fee has been set at €7,500, October 1st Special Live Foal. For more information, please contact Sam Bullard on + 44 (0)1638 730 070.