European Champion Two-Year-Old Little Big Bear retired

Last year’s European Champion Two-Year-Old Little Big Bear has been retired from racing after suffering a condylar fracture on the right front fetlock.

The son of No Nay Never earned a Timeform Rating of 126p, 5lbs clear of all his rivals, for his seven-length rout in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh (pictured). That victory was the culmination of four straight wins including the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes.

After pulling too hard in the 2,000 Guineas in May, Little Big Bear was dropped back to six furlongs for the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock and ran out a comfortable winner. His next start in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot saw him run a fine second just headed close home by subsequent July Cup winner Shaquille.

“Little Big Bear is a super horse; that’s the long and the short of it,” said his trainer Aidan O’Brien. “Different class, different gear and matured very early for a big horse. He’s big, scopey, strong, clear winded and very, very fast – a class sprinter.”

Bred by Tim Hyde senior and junior of Camas Park Stud & Summerhill, Little Big Bear realised €320,000 as a yearling at Arqana. Out of Longchamp Listed winner Adventure Seeker, Little Big Bear traces to the brilliant All Along who notched up a tremendous sequence of victories in top races on both sides of the Atlantic.