Sadler’s Wells, 14-time champion sire in Britain and Ireland, died at Coolmore Stud on this day in 2011.
Foaled in America, he was the son of Northern Dancer, the most successful sire of the 20th century. Vincent O’ Brien trained him to win the Irish 2,000 guineas, the Eclipse Stakes and the Phoenix Champion Stakes in 1984. He retired to stud at Coolmore later that year.
It was at stud that Sadler’s Well’s proved enormously successful. In his first season, he produced six individual group one winners. He would be champion sire in Britain and Ireland a record 14 times and his progeny won every British Classic. In total he produced over 293 stakes winners and 74 individual Group One winners. He was also champion sire in France three times and in North America once.
His offspring included Galileo, High Chapparal, Montjeu, Barathea, Yeats and Istabraq while his grandsons include Frankel, Hurricane Run and Rip Van Winkle. Ben Sangster, son of Robert Sangster who owned the horse stated “It’s the end of an era. It is the most phenomenal record for any horse to be champion sire 14 times – a record that is likely to remain unequalled.”
Coolmore announced on May 13, 2008, that Sadler’s Wells was retiring from breeding. After the horse’s death in 2011, jockey and regular partner of Sadler’s Wells in his racing career stated “he was probably the best sire of them all.”
Sources:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/racing/arid-20152687.html
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/racing/arid-30502818.html
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/apr/26/sadlers-wells-coolmore-sire-dead
