Vandeek retired to stand at Cheveley Park in 2025

‘Exceptional’ colt’s three-year-old season has been hit by injury.

Cheveley Park Stud has announced it has purchased a share in Vandeek, who has been retired from racing.

He will stand at Cheveley Park in 2025 in a partnership with current owners KHK Racing.

Unbeaten at two in a season which saw him win the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes, this year has been interrupted by injury.

He has made it to the track twice and finished third both times, in the Sandy Lane at Haydock and in the July Cup. However, another setback forced him out of the Prix Maurice de Gheest.

A soft tissue injury was diagnosed, but connections have run out of time to get him back to the track this season and the decision has been made to send him to stud.

Simon Crisford, who trained Vandeek jointly with his son Ed, said: “Vandeek was a brilliant two-year-old for Sheikh Khalid and his amazing turn of foot set him apart from the others. He had a wonderful temperament and he was such a great pleasure to train.

“His Juddmonte Middle Park victory was sensational and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better winner of that race. He was pure class and it is such a great shame he didn’t have the opportunity to fulfil his potential this year.”

His jockey James Doyle said: “I got a huge thrill from riding Vandeek in the Juddmonte Middle Park and he was an exceptional racehorse blessed with a blistering turn of pace.”

Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, added in a statement: “Patricia Thompson is delighted to have been able to secure Vandeek, in partnership with Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to stand at Cheveley Park Stud in Newmarket, making this very exciting son of Havana Grey available to British and international breeders and thus further enhancing the long-established history of Cheveley Park Stud standing world-class stallions.”

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