Kameko to retire to Tweenhills at end of 3yo campaign

Qatar Racing's Kameko, the fastest ever Guineas winner, is to retire to Tweenhills at the end of his three-year-old campaign. He will run at the Breeders' Cup.

QIPCO 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko will be retired to stand at Tweenhills, home of the Qatar Racing stallions, at the end of 2020.

Kameko was the fastest ever winner of the 2,000 Guineas and Qatar Racing's third European Gr.1 Classic winner after Simple Verse and Just The Judge. He was also an impressive winner of the Gr.1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes at two and successfully gave weight to world-class older horses in the Gr.2 Joel Stakes.

The son of Kitten's Joy the same sire as Qatar Racing's late world champion Roaring Lion joins Zoustar, Champion First-, Second- and Third-Season Sire in Australia, Gr.1-winning sire Havana Gold and champion older miler Lightning Spear at Tweenhills for the 2021 breeding season.

Looking back on Kameko's success, Sheikh Fahad Al-Thani, Chairman of Qatar Racing, said: ‚"My brothers and I are delighted to own another superstar in Kameko, whose record-breaking two- and three-year-old campaigns will live long in our memory. We cannot wait to unveil him to breeders.‚"

Trainer Andrew Balding added: ‚"Kameko is without doubt the best horse I've trained. He has all the attributes of a top-class miler and is a striking horse to look at. I feel very honoured to have had the opportunity to train a horse of such class.‚"

Kameko was a first British Classic winner for jockey Oisin Murphy, who said: ‚"I felt from the very beginning that this could be a special horse. He's the perfect model he has size, durability and a great character. To ride, he has super balance, a great turn of foot and a good mind you can put him anywhere in a race. He's a machine.‚"

After Kameko's return from the Breeders' Cup, he will be paraded for breeders, along with other Tweenhills stallions, at Longholes Stud in Newmarket during the Tattersalls December Mare Sale. His 2021 stud fee and syndication plans will be announced in due course.

For further details on Kameko please visit www.tweenhills.com, or contact David Redvers on +44 7767 436373 or Hannah Wall on +44 7748 647313.