Champion racehorse and leading sire, High Chaparral, died last night within a few days after arriving back in Ireland after a covering season at Coolmore, Australia.

High Chaparral, by Sadlers Wells, was the ultimate racehorse; he went to the starting gate 13 times, winning 10 races, five of those wins were at Group1 level.

He came under notice as a classic contender when he spread the field out at Leopardstown in the Champion Stakes.

That was his first Group 1 success; he soon increased it to three when he put his name on both Derby trophies.

Two trips across the Atlantic to take out the Breeder’s Cup twice, once at Arlington Park in Chicago, and the second time at Santa Anita, set in the San Gabriel Mountains just outside of Los Angeles.

He ventured to Longchamp twice for the jewel in the crown, the Arc, he finished third each time.

High Chaparral first shuttled to New Zealand where he sired It’s A Dundeel, however, after So You Think won the Cox Plate twice, that was the last the Shaky Isles saw of him, he shuttled between Ireland and Coolmore Australia, thereafter.

High Chaparral