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[my miss storm cat]

Happy retirement to Maraahel.

RP...

Maraahel retired while Ask to target Arc

David Milnes


MARAAHEL, one of the most popular Flat horses in training , has been retired, but stablemate Ask is set to return to action next season with the Arc as his target.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute,Maraahel won eight of his 34 starts and over £1 million in prize money.

The seven-year old recorded back to back victories in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2006 and 2007, but could never quite break his duck in Group 1s, coming closest when finishing a short-head second to Notnowcato in the 2006 Juddmonte International.

Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Hamdan Al Maktoum, said: "Maraahel was a fantastic servant and is currently enjoying his retirement atShadwell. Hopefully we canfind a stud job for him somewhere in the near future."