Outstanding New Zealand galloper Nom Du Jeu has been retired after finishing last in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.The winner of the 2008 AJC Australian Derby will go to an as yet unnamed stud."He just hasn't been settling in his races this season and has been racing below his best," co-trainer Murray Baker said.Nom Du Jeu was troubled by cannon bone bruising in the autumn and while he had worked well on the training tracks, he kept pulling in his races.Jockey Michael Rodd termed Saturday's Cox

Outstanding New Zealand galloper Nom Du Jeu has been retired after finishing last in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

The winner of the 2008 AJC Australian Derby will go to an as yet unnamed stud.

"He just hasn't been settling in his races this season and has been racing below his best," co-trainer Murray Baker said.

Nom Du Jeu was troubled by cannon bone bruising in the autumn and while he had worked well on the training tracks, he kept pulling in his races.

Jockey Michael Rodd termed Saturday's Cox Plate effort a shocking performance. "He just pulled the whole way round," he said.

The stallion was examined by vets after the race but they found nothing amiss.

Nom Du Jeu was an impressive winner of the AJC Australian Derby last year and followed it up with a close second to Sarrera in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) a week later.

The following spring, he ran second behind All The Good in the Caulfield Cup and was eighth in the Melbourne Cup.

He won five races and placed eight times in 21 starts for a return of more than $2 million for his Queensland owner Billie Morton.

"He has been a very good horse at the top level," Baker said.

Nom Du Jeu is a son of Montjeu and dual Group One winner Prized Gem.

He was the only New Zealand-trained horse in Saturday's Cox Plate after vets ruled Sir Slick out on race morning because of a hoof injury.