Star sprinter Lethal Force, winner of two Group One races this season, has been retired to Cheveley Park Stud.

Cheveley bought a share of the Clive Cox-trained four-year-old earlier this month with the intention that he would retire at the end of the season.

However he has already departed Cox's yard with the trainer paying tribute to a horse that gave him top-level success in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and in the July Cup at Newmarket.

"He's been retired and has joined Cheveley in the last 24 hours," Cox said.

"I think it's a very exciting time to go to stud. We have had such a marvellous time in the time we have trained him.

"He's been absolutely super, right from the beginning of this year especially, and it has been a tremendous journey.

"Winning at Royal Ascot was tremendous and following up in the July Cup in a course-record time was an extremely proud and powerful success.

"We should also remember his second to Moonlight Cloud at Deauville in what was another race run in a course-record time. It was a very commendable run.

"I have been so thrilled to be part of his career. This is a new chapter for him going to stud."

Lethal Force's final start was when ninth in the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock on unsuitably soft ground.