G
Gearoid
Guest
What a run.
It's sad news, although 30 is a tremendous age for a thoroughbred, especially a stallion.
He was a wonderful success at stud, his figures perhaps slightly flattered by sheer weight of numbers and the modern passion for watering (most, though not all, of his offspring had a preference for ease in the ground), but he was definitely one of the best stallions in the world over the last 50 years or so. I suppose you'd put Bold Ruler, Mr Prospector, Star Kingdom, Ribot and Sunday Silence ahead of him, but, off-hand, I can't think of another one.
I deliberately left his old dad out, but I'm reminded that Danehill should be on the list.The last 50 years? Northern Dancer then...
Do you remember the time when his legacy as a sire of sires was in doubt?
Now we have:
Galileo
Montjeu
High Chaparral
Oscar
Old Vic
And a fair few bullets to be fired, particularly as a jumps sire, with Yeats, etc.