His final start ended in a third place in Doncaster's Group 2 Champagne Stakes where he was beaten by the high class Vital Equine.

Cockney Rebel, ridden by Olivier Peslier, was a 25-1 chance for the 2000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket in 2007, but beat Vital Equine, his Champagne Stakes (G2) conqueror, by a length and a half.

The last horse to achieve the double Guineas feat was Rock of Gibraltar – who ran a slower time than Cockney Rebel in both races.

Sadly, Cockney Rebel suffered a pelvic injury when beaten as the even money favourite in the St James's Palace Stakes at Ascot and this proved to be his final race.

He had been reported to be working well ahead of his planned reappearance but suffered a bizarre injury on the gallops when a piece of paper blew across the field and hit his near fore on the tendon.