Racing: Van Nistelrooy - the world's most expensive yearling when sold at auction in 2001 - has been retired from racing due to injury.

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.

A $6.4 million yearling purchase, 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.

Kieren Fallon tightened his grip on the jockeys' championship with a four-timer yesterday - despite not feeling 100 per cent - to take his tally to 126 in the title race.

He had come very close to calling off his trip to Ayr, but he shrugged off a bout of flu to complete a treble on Kafuwain, Moulins De Mougins and Piano Star.

He arrived too late for his first ride, Summer Shades, at Windsor's evening meeting, but was on hand to partner Michael Stoute's Russian Dance to an easy victory in the Martin Collins Enterprises Novice Fillies' Stakes.

Champion jump jockey Tony McCoy is hoping to be back in action in about three weeks, he said yesterday.

He has been on the sidelines since breaking his right arm at Worcester on June 18th.