Ralph Beckett calls time on career of Simple Verse

Simple Verse followed up her St Leger success at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot. Picture: Racingfotos.com

Simple Verse, a dual winner in the QIPCO Champions Series, has been retired.

The five-year-old mare, owned by Qatar Racing and trained by Ralph Beckett, won a dramatic renewal of the St Leger in 2015 and also landed the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot the following month.

This season Simple Verse almost added a third Series win – being beaten a neck by Dartmouth in the Yorkshire Cup – but she finished last in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June and has since not proved easy to train.

“She has had various issues since the Gold Cup in June, and put simply we have ran out of time to get her ready for the Long Distance Cup, on Champions Day,” a statement posted on the trainer’s website read.

“She was a terrific servant to all her connections. The highlight of her career was undoubtedly the 2015 St Leger, but to drop back to a mile and a half and win the Fillies and Mares five weeks later showed how versatile, as well as tough and talented she really was.

“We will miss her, but look forward to training her progeny.”

Simple Verse was initially disqualified and placed second behind Bondi Beach in the St Leger two years ago but she was reinstated as the winner upon appeal.

In total, she won six of her 15 starts and earned almost £1 million in prize-money.