Octagonal, 1996 Australian Horse of the Year, will not shuttle to the Haras du Quesnay in France for the upcoming Northern Hemisphere breeding season.Woodlands Stud stressed that there is nothing amiss with Octagonal but decided to give him a rest from dual hemisphere duties for a year.

The nine-year-old son of New Zealand's champion sire Zabeel and the *Pieces of Eight II mare Eight Carat, retired to Woodlands Stud in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales in 1997, and has shuttled to France each year since 1998.

The Haras du Quesnay will receive another Woodlands stallion as a replacement—Commands, a five-year-old Group 1-winning son of Danehill out of Cotehele House, an unraced daughter of My Swanee who has produced eight winners, including Australian champion Danewin.