Snow Fairy retired Snow Fairy, Ed Dunlop's remarkable globetrotting mare, has been retired after sustaining an injury to her tendon. The daughter of Intikhab won the Investec Oaks at Epsom and the Irish equivalent as a three-year-old and also tasted success in the Far East. On her final start last season she landed the Irish Champion Stakes but had yet to see a racecourse in 2013. The Newmarket trainer reported: "It is with much sadness that a decision was made this morning to retire Snow Fairy. "Unfortunately after a routine piece of fast work today she was found to have re-injured her near fore tendon, which has caused her problems in the last two years. "I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank Mrs Patino for all she has done, she has been the most wonderful owner of a truly amazing horse. Most owners would have retired her a lot sooner than she did and if this had been the case she would not have won the Irish Champion Stakes last year, which was without doubt her greatest performance. "I would also like to thank all of my staff who have looked after her, ridden her and travelled her around the world. She remains the only international horse to have won two Group Ones in Japan. "Snow Fairy will return to Ireland, where I hope she will have a fantastic life as a broodmare."
