Reward For Effort & Theseo Retired

Two great Aussie gallopers Reward For Effort and Theseo have both been retired from racing.

Former Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort has been retired to stud

Former Peter Moody-trained Exceed And Excel four-year-old Reward For Effort is set to serve at Chatswood Stud while five-time Group 1 winner Theseo will see out the rest of his years at 2 Mile Lodge near Bowral.

Reward For Effort’s 10-race career was highlighted by his win in the $1 million Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) back in February of 2009, which came at just his third start.

His three other victories included the $100,000 Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) on debut in January of 2009 and then in the winter of last year Reward For Effort took out the $100,000 Listed Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield followed by the $125,000 Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill.

After failing to find the same impressive form as in his two-year-old season, Reward For Effort most recently finished four lengths away 10^th to Eagle Falls in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 26.

His record stands at 10 starts, all black-types, for four wins, a second and a third for $937,200 in prize money.

The Blue Diamond winner is now set to commence his stud career at Chatswood Stud in Seymour in the upcoming season, his service fee to stand at $11,000.

Blue Diamond winners have proven to be top quality stallions, notable examples including Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice and Bel Esprit, sire to the world’s highest-rated horse Black Caviar.

Meanwhile, rising eight-year-old Danewin gelding Theseo prepared by Gai Waterhouse has also been retired after their last-start 12^th in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on April 2.

Five-time Group 1 champion Theseo has been retired after their unplaced run in the 2011 George Ryder Stakes

Theseo enjoyed a highly decorated career on the turf that included five elite-level wins.

Their breakthrough Group 1 victory was in the $600,000 Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick in October 2008, followed by the $750,000 Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) two starts later in November of that year.

Theseo also enjoyed successive victories in the $400,000 Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) winning the 2009 and 2010 editions of the Rosehill feature and recorded their other Group 1 success in the $300,000 Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm in March of last year, one start before their second Ranvet win.

The popular weight-for-age champion owned by Star Thoroughbred and purchased for $120,000 at the Magic Millions sales started 40 times for 11 wins, three seconds and six thirds winning over $3.2 million in career prize money.

“He has been a wonderful old fellow and just a joy to train,” Waterhouse said.

“You dream about having a horse like this.”

Waterhouse also said she expected Theseo to make a lovely eventing horse in the future.