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‘He’s finished’ – Shock as Minzaal forced to retire days after amazing win in latest devastating blow for trainer

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TRAINER Owen Burrows has been dealt another devastating blow after it was confirmed runaway Betfair Sprint Cup winner Minzaal had been forced to retire.

Burrows saw Hukum suffer a season-ending injury after thrashing subsequent King George winner Pyledriver in the Coronation Cup in June.

Minzaal was a breathtaking winner of the Betfair Sprint Cup but has now been retired due to injury

Minzaal routed opponents in the Haydock Group 1 last Saturday.

But owner Shadwell Estate’s racing manager Angus Gold confirmed his career is now over.

He said: “I’m afraid it’s not very good news.

“I’m sad to say he’s got a slab fracture in his knee so he is finished, very sadly.

“He’ll be retiring unfortunately. We were keen to get him to Ascot which was always the plan as we always thought he handled easy ground, but sadly the gods decided it wasn’t to be.

“At least he went out in a blaze of glory, he’s a Group 1 winner and showed everybody what he was capable of.

“It’s such a shame for Owen, extraordinary given what happened with Hukum, too, but there you go.

“He showed his true colours and he was a proper Group 1 horse. Hopefully he will have a good second career.”

Burrows added: “He was pretty sore after the next morning.

“We ran a few tests and x-rays and unfortunately he’s got a fracture of his left knee. He’s had to have a pin in but that’s him retired.”

Minzaal, a four-year-old colt, won four of his 11 races, finishing second twice and third three times.

He won Shadwell – who also own the unstoppable Baaeed – just shy of £500,000 in all.

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