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Charlie Appleby’s globetrotting star Modern Games has been retired at the age of four and will begin a new career as a stallion.
Godolphin's five-time Group 1-winner amassed over £2.7 million in prize money and won eight of his sixteen career outings. The dual Breeders' Cup scorer won top-level races in France, America, and Britain and landed a Group 1 prize in all three years of his racing career.
A half-brother to 2023 1000 Guineas heroine Mawj, the son of Dubawi had his first start when fifth in a Haydock novice event before getting off the mark at the second attempt in a Newmarket maiden back in July 2021. He was beaten next-time-out at Leicester but created quite the impression when winning an Ascot handicap later that season and culminated his juvenile campaign with victory in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in November.
The Dubawi colt returned to action at three with success in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and followed up that French Classic victory with two more top-level wins in the Woodbine Mile and Breeders' Cup Mile.
His final Group 1 victory came when beating Chindit in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury earlier this year. It was also a first top-level success in Britain for Modern Games.
Although a Group 1 win on home soil was something of the icing on the cake for Modern Games, there's little doubt he'll be known for his international exploits. He won Group 1's in four different countries and has competed in Group 1 company ever since winning the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket in the September of his juvenile season.
Charlie Appleby told www.godolphin.com: "Modern Games was a brilliant horse to train and such a great advert for Godolphin. To win at two Breeders' Cups, to be part of our trio of Guineas winners in 2022, and to land the Lockinge Stakes this season, shows his class, toughness and durability.
Being a five-time Group 1 scorer across multiple continents, who is a half-brother to a Classic winner out of the prolific top-class mare Modern Ideals, makes Modern Games a fascinating stallion prospect.
"He answered every call we asked of him, and we will miss him at Moulton Paddocks. I'm sure he will be a huge success in his next career as a stallion."