The curtain has come down on the racing career of the gifted Iffraaj mare Francesca (NZ).

She won five of her nine starts, including victory in her last appearance in the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) for trainer Andrew Forsman.

“She suffered a recurrence of an old hind leg injury and with the timing and the way things were going to happen for her we felt it was best to retire her to stud,” he said.

Bred and raced by Greg McCarthy, Francesca is out of the High Chaparral mare Matagouri (NZ) who is from the family of Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) winner Monterey Bay (NZ) (Kaapstad) and the dam of the multiple Australian Group Three winner Ayrton (NZ), who is also by Iffraaj.