Champion New Zealand mare Verry Elleegant looks set to be retired after a lacklustre run at Ascot.
The Melbourne and Caulfield Cup star battled to ninth in the Group 1 Fillies And Mares Stakes, ending a disappointing Northern Hemisphere campaign.
Verry Elleegant has run just one placing in four starts since leaving Australia and as the winner of nearly A$15 million has little to gain from another campaign, with her owners to meet in the next 48 hours to discuss what will almost certainly be a move to the broodmare paddock.
They have the option, since she is in England, of visiting a champion European stallion, with the most obvious options being Dubawi or Frankel. But eventually she looks certain to return to Australia to continue her broodmare career.
While Verry Elleegant's career may be over, Imperatriz could have hers put on hold depending on the results of a bone scan next week.