Takeover Target, Australia’s champion sprinter of 2006, has been retired after sustaining a career-ending injury during a seventh-place finish in the Darley July Cup (Eng-G1) on July 10 at Newmarket in England.

The nine-year-old Celtic Swing gelding had surgery to stabilize a cracked cannon bone in his left hind leg at the Newmarket Veterinary Clinic, The Australian reported. Five screws were inserted into the leg. He also is believed to have fractured the sesamoid bone in the same leg.

Takeover Target will remain hospitalized for approximately 60 days before returning to is native country.

“He seems fine after the operation and he needs rest,” trainer and co-owner Joe Janiak told the publication. “He has been a fantastic horse and we have had some great adventures with him.”

Janiak bought Takeover Target for $1,200 (Australian). He won 21 of 41 career starts, including seven Group 1 races in Australia and Japan and was competitive at the highest level from 2006 to ’08 at Royal Ascot in England.

His victories include the 2006 Seppelt Wines Newmarket Handicap (Aus-G1) and Lightning Stakes (Aus-G1) en route to honors as Australia’s champion sprinter. Sent to England the same season, he won the King's Stand Stakes (Eng-G2) and finished third in the Golden Jubilee Stakes (Eng-G1), both at Royal Ascot .  He also won the ’06 Sprinters Stakes (Jpn-G1) at Nakayama in Japan.

Out of Shady Stream, by Archregent, Takeover Target was bred by Meringo Stud Farm, New South Wales. Janiak plans to retire him to his stable at Coffs Harbour.