Not
many thoroughbreds get to age 30, but one that did is the grand old sire Bellotto
(USA), who passed away peacefully on Sunday just a month shy of his 33rd
birthday.
The sire of 45 stakes including six Group I winners, Bellotto enjoyed his retirement
in the surrounding beauty of Wellington, South Australia near the mouth of the Murray
River.
After starting his stud career at the famous Arrowfield Stud in 1989, this son of
Mr Prospector transferred to the property then known as Paumah Stud and has
been in South Australia ever since.
Bellotto was a more than handy racehorse, placed in both the Group I Epsom
Derby and English 2000 Guineas.
He was a headline horse when he came to Australia in an era before the shuttle
sires when local studmasters could not afford the winners of these races and
made do with what they could get.
The three-time Magic Million South Australian Leading Sire award winner has sired
more than 1000 foals including the successful
sire, Clang and the stakes winning broodmare Seto Flowerian which had a
foal sell in Japan for $AU4.2 million.
His daughters have left 30 stakes-winners headed by Group I winners Miss
Danehill and Coniston Bluebird.
Bellotto has had a number of different owners as has the stud over recent
years.
Bellotto's last resting place is at Rosden Park, which was formerly Paumah Stud
and then Lakewood Stud.