Incentivise retires: Why was three-time Group 1 winner retired?

Melbourne Cup runners-up and three-time Group 1 winners Incentivise have retired.

The six-year-old had not run since finishing second to Verry Elleegant at the 2021 edition of the Cup, with connections confirming a recent setback while recovering from fatigue and injury was the final act in a short but incredible career.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the immediate retirement of our champion racehorse, Incentivise,” the owners said in a statement on Saturday.

“The horse had performed remarkably well en route to his much-anticipated return to racing, but suffered another setback which, while not a career ending in its own right, was enough for us to end it.

“The important thing is that Incentivize is not in pain and roaming freely in a paddock on Peter Moody’s farm.”

Records, owners, stimulate profits

Incentivize retires with nine wins and one finish from 13 starts.

Seemingly born out of nowhere, the son of Shamus Award and Miss Argyle captivated Australian racing with an incredible 2021 season which saw the horse break his damsel over a mile on the Sunshine Coast in April and finish with a Melbourne Cup finish, after jumping 2nd. 1 favorite.

MORE: How Incentivize went from a 16-length loss in a Toowoomba girl to a start as an underrated Melbourne Cup favourite

In between, Incentivize had nine straight wins, including Group 1 triumphs at the Makybe Diva and Turnbull Stakes and the Caulfield Cup.

Originally bred and trained by Steve Tregea, celebrity owners Brae Sokolski and Ozzie Kheir bought a 50 per cent stake in Incentivize and moved him to Melbourne to have him trained by Peter Moody ahead of the spring campaign.

Incentivize retires with over $5.7 million in earnings.

“We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who was in touch with the horse throughout the trip,” added the owners.

“Steve Tregea for breeding and training the horse for much of his career, Peter Moody for taking the reins and bringing so much joy to us and the racing crowd, all the jockeys who have ridden him throughout his career , but especially Brett Prebble and of course everyone who put so much time and energy into his rehabilitation, especially Lee Evison and his team.

“We will update on his retirement home in due course but rest assured the red carpet will be rolled out and he will spend his days in the best possible care.”