‘He was always head of his class’: Star colt Switzerland retired, to stand at stud at Coolmore

Coolmore’s crack colt Switzerland joins a growing list of Group 1 winners that includes Alligator Blood, Amelia’s Jewel, Atishu, Deny Knowledge and Shelby Sixtysix to be retired from racing this month.

Switzerland, ridden by James McDonald, wins the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington in November last year. Picture: Morgan Hancock / Racing Photos

Coolmore’s crack colt Switzerland joins a growing list of Group 1 winners that includes Alligator Blood, Amelia’s Jewel, Atishu, Deny Knowledge and Shelby Sixtysix to be retired from racing this month.

Switzerland had been unplaced in his three starts this autumn carnival including a close seventh in Briasa’s TJ Smith Stakes on Day One of The Championships before it was announced the three-year-old had run his last race and would join Coolmore Stud’s stallion roster this spring breeding season.

Tom Magnier, the Coolmore Stud supremo, said Switzerland was always destined to end up in the stallion’s barn of their Hunter Valley property.

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“Switzerland is a horse that we have been looking forward to standing at Coolmore for a long time,’’ Magnier said.

“He was always the head of his ‘class’ from when he was broken-in at the farm to when he first arrived in Chris Waller’s stable.

“He was a top-class two-year-old, the fastest-ever winner of the Coolmore Stud Stakes and the highest-rated spring three-year-old ever by the great Snitzel.

“Physically, he is a stunning horse who we believe will be extremely easy for breeders to mate to, with a high-class American speed pedigree that lends itself to much of the Australian broodmare population.’’

And the first Group 1 of the 2024 #MelbCupCarnival goes to...

SWITZERLAND for @mcacajamez and @cwallerracing 👏

🎥 @wwos | #DerbyDay | #MelbCupCarnivalpic.twitter.com/FwjHl9juG8

— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 2, 2024

• Giga Kick’s Group 1 return locked in

Switzerland, a $1.5 million Inglis Easter Yearling Sale graduate, won five of his 10 starts including the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington when he ran the 1200m in a brilliant 1m 08.3s.

Magnier said Switzerland will stand at an introductory fee of $60,500 at Coolmore Stud later this year.

Originally published as ‘He was always head of his class’: Star colt Switzerland retired, to stand at stud at Coolmore