Hitotsu Retired

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday January 31

Sidelined at the start of last spring with a suspensory ligament injury, triple Group I winning Maurice (Jpn) colt Hitotsu has now been retired due to a leg infection.

Hitotsu wins his second Derby at Randwick - image Steve Hart

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained stallion has had a series of setbacks with the most recent arising from a cut to a leg that subsequently became infected.

A $100,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Arrowfield draft, Hitotsu had eight starts for four wins earning over $3million in prizemoney with Group I wins in the VRC Victoria Derby, ATC Australian Derby and VRC Australian Guineas

Managing part-owner Ozzie Kheir confirmed the unfortunate news on Tuesday.

"Unfortunately, Hitotsu has had another setback," Kheir lamented.

"Hitotsu has taken us on an amazing journey in such a short period of time and showed that special horses can be trained in a very unconventional  way and that's all credit to the stable that weren't afraid to try something different.

"We resisted the temptation of retiring him (to stud) after his remarkable three-year old season as Ciaron (Maher) and Dave (Eustace) were adamant that he had so much more upside and we hadn't seen the best of him.

Advertisement

"Unfortunately, plans in racing don't often go to script.

"We will now start the process of finding him the best place to continue his next chapter and follow his progeny for many years to come."

Hitotsu will be the first son of Maurice to stand at stud in Australia with his other Group I winning son here Mazu being a gelding.

Bred by Arrowfield Stud in partnership, Hitotsu is from unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Love is Fickle, a half-sister to Group II winning sire Love Conquers All and stakes-winner She’s Meaner, the dam of Group II winner Lean Mean Machine and granddam of stakes-winner Ballistic Lover, who sold ass a broodmare last year for $1million.

The grand-dam of Hitotsu is Group I Avondale Cup winner She’s a Meanie, so he has a quality pedigree to go with superior racetrack performance.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Victorian Breeders Celebrate Annual Awards Night
The 2025 Victorian Breeding Awards has once again showcased the outstanding achievements within Victoria’s thoroughbred breeding and racing industry.
Highland Blaze Wins $250,000 Grand National Hurdle
Jumps racing was the highlight at Sandown Lakeside on Sunday with the $250,000 Grand National Hurdle (4200m) the highlight and the $100,000 Crisp Steeplechase (4200m) offering a great start to the day.
Bred to Win Returns on Monday night
Caroline Searcy’s Bred To Win returns this Monday night profiling new and proven stallions heading into the Spring of 2025 and promoting the thoroughbred breeding industry in Australia and around the world.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 1
Here is the full list of 35 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Inglis Digital Bargain Buys Deliver Kosciuszko Dreamers
Sunshine Law was not the only Inglis Digital success story to come out of the Rosehill meeting on Saturday with two contenders for this year’s $2million Kosciuszko also giving connections cause to dream big and one of them is an unbeaten mare with a Black Type pedigree.
Shooting to Win Relocating to Yarradale Stud
Yarradale Stud has purchased Group 1 racehorse and sire Shooting To Win to cover his first book at its Gidgegannup property this season.
Glorious Goodwood Day 3 – Flag Start Can’t Stop Wootton Bassett
The Group I Nassau Stakes (1m2f) for fillies and mares was the highlight on the third day of Glorious Goodwood and very nearly didn’t happen at all given the ‘biblical’ rain and a flag start for the five runners that braved the treacherous conditions.
MM Yearling Sales 2026 Open for Entry
The 2026 Magic Millions Yearling Sales - from the Gold Coast in January to Perth and Tasmania in February and the Gold Coast and Adelaide in March - are ready to deliver more groundbreaking results.
Too Darn Hot Mare Claims Third G1
Too Darn Hot (GB) will be a returning superstar to Darley NSW this spring and there is no doubt he can get an exceptional horse with Fallen Angel capturing her third Group I in France on Sunday when taking out the G1 Prix Rothschild (1m) at Deauville.
Impressive New Winner at Goodwood for St Mark’s Basilica
Coolmore shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) had a number of high profile yearlings sold at the European sales last year and one of them was a filly from Angelic Light that made 600,000 guineas at Tattersalls October Book 2.