Makybe Diva’s three-quarter brother Musket has run his last race and has been retired to stud.  He will stand his first season at Darley’s Twin Hills farm in Cootamundra for an $11,000 service fee.

“Musket is a superb-looking horse, a Group 2 winner and a three-quarter brother in blood to the greatest racemare Australia has ever seen,” Darley’s Australian managing director Henry Plumptre said.

“I think the horse has come to the stage that he went to stud,” Plumptre added.  ” We probably have not seen the best of him, because like Makybe Diva, he is a very late-maturing horse.

“Another year of racing would not lift his profile any further.  He is a G2-winning horse, he is lovely to look at, he is by champion sire Redoute’s Choice and his sister is the best race mare this country has seen.”

Bought by Bob Ingham for $2.5 million at the 2005 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Musket won four races and got his G2 in the Shannon Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.  He was last seen finishing over a length behind Vision And Power in the Doncaster Mile at Randwick.

Musket was purchased by Woodlands Stud at the 2005 Inglis Easter yearling sale for a then Australian sales record of $2.5 million.  Makybe Diva’s first foal by Galileo was sold at the 2009 Easter sale for $1.5 million to Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien.

Musket will stand at Darley’s Twin Hills base alongside Octagonal, Domesday and Quest For Fame.