Last Saturday afternoon saw the final Group 1 of the British Flat season as Doncaster hosted the Futurity Trophy Stakes. The winner of that juvenile event, Hawk Mountain, will add their name to the list of 2025’s two-year-old stars, helping whet the appetite for the 2026 campaign.
As is always the case in the racing world, as new talents emerge, others depart the scene. October brought the news that three Group-class talents had run their last race and would head off into a well-earned retirement.
Henri Matisse
- Sire – Wootton Bassett
- Trainer – Aidan O’Brien
- Big Race Wins – Railway Stakes (2024), Irish EBF Futurity Stakes (2024), Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (2024), Ballyinch Stud “Red Rocks” Stakes (2025), Poule d’Essai des Poulains (2025)
- Career Earnings – £1,230,093
Henri Matisse is by Wootton Bassett, who sadly died earlier in 2025, and out of the 4.7 million Guineas dam Immortal Verse. While promise on paper doesn’t always play out at the track, he wasted little time delivering on his potential.
Striking on debut at the Curragh, he proved himself capable of winning the Group 2 Railway Stakes on only his second career start. Having come up short in his first two outings in Group 1 company, he broke his top-level duck in style when getting up late to land the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.
Moving onto his Classic campaign, Henri Matisse skipped the English and Irish 2,000 Guineas in favour of a trip to Longchamp for the French version of the race. That proved a wise move, with the colt showing an impressive turn of foot to claim the Poule d’Essai des Poulains in a record-breaking time.
Henri Matisse didn’t win again but rounded off his career with respectable outings in the St James’s Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes, and Prix du Moulin. As one of only two Wootton Bassett colts to win in Group 1 company at two and three, and his only son to win a Classic over a mile, he boasts obvious appeal as a sire. He will now follow in the hoofprints of his late father and join the ranks of Coolmore stallions.
Economics
- Sire – Night Of Thunder
- Trainer – William Haggas
- Big Race Wins – Dante Stakes (2024), Prix Guillaume d’Ornarno (2024), Irish Champion Stakes (2024)
- Career Earnings – £955,680
Economics is a son of 2,000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder. His dam, La Pomme D’Amour, was also a talented performer, winning twice in Group 2 company at Deauville.
Unlike Henri Matisse, Economics barely raised an eyebrow during his two-year-old season, racing only once when fourth at Newmarket. Having returned with a maiden success at Newbury, he remained a little under the radar ahead of the Group 2 Dante Stakes. After slamming the field by six lengths, he was the name on everyone’s lips.
Swerving the Derby in favour of a late summer/autumn campaign, Economics rewarded the patience of his connections. Having warmed up with a Group 2 win in France, he produced the performance of his career to conquer Aidan O’Brien’s dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin in the Irish Champion Stakes.
Thereafter, health issues meant we never witnessed Economics at his peak again. Found to have bled from the nose when only sixth in the Champion Stakes at Ascot, he remained off the track for a year. Having suffered the same issue on his return in the 2025 edition of the Champions Day feature, connections have made the understandable decision to retire their star to stud.
Isle Of Jura
- Sire – New Approach
- Trainer – George Scott
- Big Race Wins – Bahrain Triple Crown (2024), Festival Stakes (2024), Hardwicke Stakes (2024)
- Career Earnings – £480,336
George Scott doesn’t yet have the firepower of an Aidan O’Brien or a William Haggas. However, the Newmarket trainer’s star is on the rise. Over the past couple of seasons, no horse has done more for Scott than Isle Of Jura.
The son of the 2008 Derby winner won eight of 13 starts for Scott following his move from the Charlie Appleby operation. After climbing the handicapping ranks in 2023, he enjoyed an incredible 2024, headlined by the Bahrain Triple Crown and a win in the Festival Stakes at Goodwood.
His finest hour then arrived in the 2024 edition of the Hardwicke Stakes. Lining up in a field containing subsequent King George winner Goliath and 2023 St Leger champ Continuous, he started as an unconsidered 16/1 shot. Under regular partner Callum Shepherd, he made a mockery of those odds to cruise to a 3¾l success.
Now five years of age, Isle Of Jura made an encouraging return in the Godolphin Stakes. Unfortunately, that runner-up effort was the last outing of his career. Following an injury setback at home, Scott announced that his stable star will be allowed to enjoy his retirement.
As a gelding, a career at stud is off the menu for Isle Of Jura, who will instead enter the retraining of racehorses’ programme. Paying tribute to his star, Scott said:
“It is sad, as he was my favourite horse, and we have now got to find another one, which will be difficult. He has done more for us than we could have asked.”