Two of Australia's most popular racehorses of the past decade, Apache Cat and Takeover Target, are to be retired at Living Legends north of Melbourne.
The sprinting pair won an astonishing 16 Group Ones between them over their stellar career before both were retired in 2009.
Takeover Target won Group One races in three different countries, graduating from a broken down hack bought for $1850 to win over $6 million in prizemoney for former Queanbeyan taxi driver Joe Janiak.
The peak of his career came in 2006 when he won the Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap in Australia, the King's Stand Stakes (then a G2) in the UK and the Sprinters Stakes in Japan.
He made three trips to Royal Ascot finishing no worse than fourth in six runs at the famous carnival. His career came to an end as a nine-year-old when he broke down badly in the July Cup at Newmarket in 2009.
But while Takeover Target's exploits were arguably greater, he failed to match the popularity of his new neighbour Apache Cat.
Gifted with stunning looks, including a magnificent white blaze which covered half his face, Apache Cat won Group One races at three, five and six. After winning the Australian Guineas in 2006, he was confined to sprint trips and won five consecutive Group Ones in early 2008.
He started off with the Lightning Stakes, then won the Australia Stakes, the TJ Smith, the BTC Cup and the Doomben 10,000.
The immensely popular chestnut won the Australia Stakes and Doomben 10,000 in 2009 and was then set for an overseas title at Hong Kong. But he broke down in the International Sprint in December and was retired.
Betting company sportsbet.com.au will sponsor Apache Cat's stay at Living Legends where he and Takeover Target will join other legends of the turf such as Might and Power, Doriemus, Better Loosen Up, Brew, Rogan Josh and Silent Witness.