Influential
sire Cape Cross (IRE), who shuttled to the Southern Hemisphere for a number of
seasons early in his career, has died at the age of 23 following complications
as a result of old age.
The son of Green Desert was bred and raced by Sheikh Mohammed and became the
foundation stallion of Darley's global breeding operation before his retirement
from stud duties in 2016.
He sired 108 stakes-winners worldwide including Epsom Derby winners Sea the Stars
and Golden Horn, both now at stud, as well as champion mare Ouija Board, the dam
of another Epsom Derby winner in Australia, who is also at stud.
His Southern Hemisphere progeny were headed by champion mare Seachange and
Group I winners Able One, Gaze and Kindacross.
Joe Osborne, managing director of Godolphin Ireland, for whom Cape Cross stood
at Kildangan Stud, said: "He has been an integral part of the Godolphin
and Darley stories, and an integral part of Kildangan.
"He was our first major success as a stallion. He was champion
first-season sire, making an immediate impact, and went on to sire a collection
of outstanding racehorses, who left their mark in some of the world's great
races.
"As an individual, he was the boss. You did it his way. He very much ruled
the roost."