The beautiful diva, Nat...
From Racing Post.
1,000 Guineas heroine Natagora retired
By Racing Post Staff3.48PM 13 JAN 2009
NATAGORA, the winner of last year's 1,000 Guineas, has been retired to the paddocks after it was announced that the two-time Group 1 winner has been bought by Sheikh Hamdan.
The Pascal Bary-trained daughter of Divine Light had been catalogued in the Tattersalls December breeding stock sale but was withdrawn after owner Stefan Friborg said that she would stay in training.
However Angus Gold, racing manager to Sheikh Hamdan, announced that the four-year-old had been bought for an undisclosed sum.
He said: "She was a top-class two-year-old who trained on to win the Guineas, and she is obviously a very exciting addition to the stud."
... and Penzance...
Former Triumph hero Penzance retired By Gary Savage5.44PM 13 JAN 2009
PENZANCE, winner of the 2005 Triumph Hurdle, has been retired.
A winner on the Flat for James Fanshawe, Penzance moved to Alan King and won his first three races impressively before beating Faasel by a neck at Cheltenham.
On Tuesday King paid tribute to the eight-time winner, saying: "Penzance will be much missed at Barbury Castle, he was one of the first horses to put us on the map."
Despite not progressing as expected after his Festival win, the Elite Racing Club-owned eight-year-old accumulated over £180,000 in prize-money, finishing third in both the Boylesports International Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton two years ago.
Elite Racing Club manager Matthew Budden said: "Penzance gave us some wonderful memories. We sponsored the Triumph Hurdle for a number of years so it was appropriate that our first Cheltenham Festival success should come in that race."
The Elite Racing Club will now decide which of its members will give Penzance a retirement home.
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