Van Nistelrooy - the world's most expensive yearling sold at auction in 2001 - has been retired from racing due to injury, it was announced today.
He will shuttle to Trelawney Stud in New Zealand for the upcoming season after a deal was brokered by New Zealand Bloodstock and Adrian Nicoll of BBA (Ireland).
The son of Storm Cat will enter quarantine later this week and be shipped to New Zealand in early August.
Van Nistelrooy, trained by Aidan O'Brien, impressed many observers when landing his first three races as a two-year-old, all at the Curragh.
The third of these was the Futurity Stakes in which he recorded a fast time.
Three weeks later, in the Group One National Stakes, Van Nistelrooy was narrowly beaten into second by subsequent Sagitta 2000 Guineas winner Refuse To Bend.
Van Nistelrooy has not raced since finishing fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Arlington Park last October.
The colt is bred on the same Storm Cat/Halo cross as the ill-fated Harlan, who sired multiple Grade One winners Harlan's Holiday and Menifee before his premature death.
Trelawney Stud's manager Brent Taylor commented: "He was a top-notch two-year-old. He's by the right sire and you couldn't find a nicer looking individual anywhere in the world.
"We're really excited about standing him and I think he'll offer breeders here fantastic value."