CHARLIE APPLEBY has said a fond farewell to Modern Games after another of his Group 1 winners retired during a nightmare season.
It's been a frustrating campaign for Appleby and the Godolphin outfit, whose runners have been well below their usual standard.
Appleby had a career best tally of 152 winners in 2022 for prize money in excess of £6.2 million.
This year has been a stark contrast, however, as he sits on just 65 winners for less than £2m in prize money.
Having challenged for last year's title, he sits in seventh place this year and losing Modern Games is another bitter blow.
He provided Appleby with a big haul by landing the Group 1 Lockinge at Newbury earlier this year.
He's been absent since Royal Ascot, where he was fourth in the Queen Anne, and looked set for another tilt at the Breeders' Cup.
Modern Games excelled out in North America, winning two Grade 1 races in the States and one in Canada.
That includes two wins at the Breeders' Cup and he was one of the ante-post favourites for this year's Breeders' Cup Turf prior to the news.
One of those Breeders' Cup wins was pure chaos, as he was withdrawn prior to the start in 2021 before being reinstated.
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Punters were left fuming, however, as Modern Games was not included in the betting and despite winning, punters were left raging.
People were left trying to remember the good times on Twitter, with one saying: "Happy retirement to a horse who has no idea how much chaos he caused at the Breeders' Cup."
Another said he was "truly underrated", while another added: "happy retirement to a globe trotting superstar."
He's the fourth Godolphin star to retire this year, with champion two-year-old Native Trail being the first.
Derby winner Adayar and St Leger winner Hurricane Lane have also retired during a frustrating campaign.
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