‘Fantastic servant’ Addeybb bows out with victory in France

William Haggas revealed Addeybb will head for a well-deserved retirement having pulled out all the stops to land the Prix du Conseil de Paris at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.

The globetrotting star – whose record includes three Group One victories in Australia, beating Verry Elleegant in all of them – has had to sit and wait for most of the season with the dry summer and fast ground conspiring against the mud-loving eight-year-old.

However, he enjoyed one last day in the sun in the French capital, motoring home in the closing stages of the one-mile-three Group Two to reel in second-favourite Monty under an inspired Tom Marquand.

It was the 13th win in a 28-race career which has taken in races all around the world, and the Somerville Lodge handler was keen to pay tribute to a “fantastic servant” and “marvellous horse” following his victorious swansong.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to bits and we would like to call it a day with him now,” Haggas told the PA news agency.

“He’s been a fantastic servant and it is wonderful he has finished on a high. So we’ll retire him now.

“He’s been magnificent and has taken us across the world. He did us proud in Australia, he’s won a Champion Stakes at Ascot, he’s been a marvellous horse. Obviously on heavy ground he is very effective, and we were keen to finish on a winning note. Now he has done we’ll let him enjoy a wonderful retirement.

“He means a lot to the yard, he’s been a friend to all of us. Kind, sweet-natured horse, just a lovely horse. This is just a great result today.”