RACING NEWS: Last season's champion two-year-old Johannesburg has been retired to stud, Coolmore announced yesterday.

Johannesburg will stand with his sire Hennessy at Ashford Stud in Kentucky next season.

He was unbeaten in seven starts as a juvenile including Group One races in Ireland, France, Britain and the United States.

Johannesburg, who was trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O'Brien and carried the colours of Michael Tabor, rounded off his two-year-old campaign with an impressive victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Belmont Park.

But the colt has failed to reproduce his sparkle in three starts this year which included an eighth in the Kentucky Derby.

"Unfortunately we made the mistake of aiming Johannesburg at the Kentucky Derby," commented O'Brien.

"The combination of training him on bad ground in our wet spring and trying to stretch his stamina too far just bottomed him out.

"However, he was an exceptional two-year-old and achieved more in one season than most horses do in their entire careers.

"He had brilliant speed, was always very sound and had a great attitude."

Vets were yesterday deciding whether to operate on Grand Prix de Paris winner Khalkevi, who suffered a serious leg injury in a racecourse gallop at Maisons-Laffitte on Tuesday.

Georges Rimaud, stud manager for Khalkevi's owner the Aga Khan, said: "He is still under observation and we are waiting for a decision to be taken on whether he is going to be operated on and when."

Ante-post favourite Border Subject remains at the head of the betting for tomorrow's Vodafone Stewards' Cup at Goodwood despite being drawn low after high numbers proved overwhelmingly popular at a ceremony at the course yesterday.

Roger Charlton's five-year-oldwill carry joint-top weight of 9st 10lb in the six-furlong dash and will race on the stands' side along with fellow front-runner Kathology and the speedy Paddywack.

But trainer David Nicholls admitted trainers may have got it wrong in rushing for the far side boxes.