Group 1 winning mare Single Gaze will begin preparations for the upcoming breeding season early after being scratched from the 2018 Group 1 $2m Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) on day two of The Championships at Randwick on Saturday.

Single Gaze was withdrawn on Thursday when trainer Nick Olive was not happy with her progress and the five year old mare will join the other early scratchings Fanatic and Gallic Chieftain on the sidelines, reducing the Sydney Cup to eighteen runners.

Racing New South Wales released the following statement explaining Single Gaze’s early Sydney Cup withdrawal.

“Trainer Nick Olive has advised Racing NSW Stewards that he has not been satisfied with the condition of Single Gaze since the completion of track work on Tuesday morning, particularly as she has not eaten up. A blood sample taken from the mare has revealed a lower than usual red blood cell count and accordingly she has been withdrawn from Saturday’s Schweppes Sydney Cup.”

Kathy O’Hara has been aboard Single Gaze for most of her thirty-three starts and steered the mare to all of her five wins which include a Group 1 victory in the 2016 $500,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.

O’Hara has developed a special association with Single Gaze and tweeted that she will miss the brave mare very much.

“To my favourite racehorse in the whole world, you have been amazing, I will miss you terribly. Thanks for the memories Single Gaze. Happy retirement.” O’Hara tweeted.

Single Gaze hasn’t been in the winner’s stall since claiming the Group 2 $200,000 Pages Event Equipment Hire P J O’Shea Stakes (2200m) at Doomben during the 2017 Brisbane Winter Carnival but the mare had been in fine form during the 2018 Autumn Carnival without a win.

The James Cummings trained Hartnell beat the mare by a nose when first up in the Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and she was in the runner’s up stall at her next start in the Group 2 $200,000 Carlton Draught Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield.

The Not A Single Doubt mare was beaten less than two lengths when fifth to Harlem in the Group 1 $1.5m Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington before running second again to Gailo Chop in the Group 1 $700,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.

A fifth behind Almandin in the Group 1 $1.5m Kia Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill two weeks ago will go down as Single Gaze’s last appearance on the race track.

Single Gaze has earned just over $2,360,000 for five wins, nine seconds and three thirds from thirty-three race starts.

Single Gaze was marked around a $15 chance when she was withdrawn from the Sydney Cup and with her out of the betting, the Liam Howley trained Almandin is the $4.20 favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Sir Charles Road at $6.50 and Aloft at $7.