Australia's champion two-year-old Capitalist has been retired.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt was found to be suffering from a chip in a fetlock and the required surgery ruled the son of Written Tycoon out of the autumn carnival.
The Golden Slipper and Magic Millions-winning colt had an interrupted spring three-year-old campaign beaten first-up in the San Domenico Stakes under 60kg where the soft (7) was blamed for his defeat.
He was then beaten again by his stablemate Russian Revolution in the Group II Roman Consul Stakes, this time on a good (3) track.
His Melbourne campaign also failed to take off, scratched in the hours leading up to the Group I Manikato Stakes due to a deteriorating track before a stone bruise halted his shot at the Group I Coolmore Classic.
Then following his gallop on the Tuesday prior to the Darley Classic, he was found to be suffering from his fetlock issue.
Whilst, his three-year-old season was disappointing, nothing could be taken away from the colt's career as a two-year-old.
He scored a comprehensive win on debut in the Listed Breeders Plate before another easy pre-Christmas win in the Wyong Magic Millions Classic.
He then scored an comprohensive win in the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast.
His only two-year-old defeat came in the Group II Todman Stakes before bouncing back and claiming the world's biggest two-year-old prize, the $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes.
"Capitalist was just the perfect two-year-old, blessed with a huge amount of precocity, ability and an excellent temperament," Peter Snowden said.
"I am certain that without this injury he would have gone very close in the Darley Classic as his trackwork at Flemington was exceptional."
Capitalist retired with four wins from seven starts with earnings of more than $3.5 million.
Capitalist has retired to Newgate Farm in the Hunter Valley where he will serve his first book of mares in the 2017 breeding season.
