Gwynneville horse owner Michael Tobin sees the sudden retirement of his wonder mare She Will Reign as the start of a new chapter rather than the end of her fairy tale story.
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The winner of the Group 1 Golden Slipper in 2017 had her racing career brought to a premature end last week after the Gary Portelli stable found mild inflammation in her lower airway.
A daughter of Manhattan Rain, She Will Reign is now expected to head to the northern hemisphere to begin her new career as a broodmare.
It brings an end to Tobin’s involvement with the remarkable $20,000 bargain buy.
"I see it as the end of a chapter and not the story,” Tobin said.
“"I am taking a philosophical view of it all. It was going to happen one day, we knew that.
"With the issues she was having, we didn't want to risk it.
"It's been the ride of a lifetime. Those memories will never leave us and I will carry those to the grave.
"The way she has involved everyone from our friends and family has been amazing.
"We had most of the family there on Sunday at Gary Portelli's stable to farewell her, which was great to be able to do."
She Will Reign burst onto the scene as a two-year-old with a dominant 8-¼ length victory on debut at Kembla Grange.
Four starts later she would etch her name in history after claiming the world’s richest race for two-year-olds at Rosehill Gardens as the cheapest horse in the field.
More Group 1 success followed at her next preparation.
She Will Reign – which all ran in the inaugural The Everest last year – motored home from wide on the track to take out the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) last September.
"That Moir win was one of the great wins you'll see over 1000m. It was thrilling, but of course the Golden Slipper is the ultimate," Tobin said.
"You talk to people and everyone wants to win that race. Outside of the Melbourne Cup obviously, where you are training a stayer, that's the race you want to win as an owner.
"It was unbelievable to be able to do it.”
She Will Reign will finish her career with a record of six wins and one placings from 12 starts.
The top-line sprinter banked more than $3.2 million in prize money.
Tobin is already on the lookout for his next racing fairy tale.
After starting a syndicate which includes his family, he now has shares in a several up-and-coming horses with Portelli and Kim Waugh stables.