Success Express, the sire that found it difficult to find a permanent home until he was located at Vinery, has died peacefully at the age of 30.

He was the superior two year old of his year in the US, winning the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile at Hollywood Park, running a race record when run over 1600 metres.

Success Express had a roundabout career; he never stopped in one place for very long until he settled in at Vinery.

He was imported by the late Robert Holmes a’Court, after a complete change of direction he was sent to Trelawney Stud in New Zealand, where he stood for two seasons.

Soon after he was purchased by successful Queensland breeder, Peter Morgan, he was relocated to Widden spending four years there.

It was then off to Queensland for a stint at Moran’s Noble Park stud, in 1998, before going to Chatswood Stud in Victoria for two years, then moving back to Noble Park for one year.

Finally Success Express found a permanent home at Vinery in 2004, along with his son, Mossman, who has since proved an asset as a sire.

Boasting a career progeny earnings of more than $37 million, with a ratio of winners to runners of over 73 percent, Success Express sired eight individual Group 1winners, including the Golden Slipper success, Polar Success, successful sire son Mossman, New Zealand Oaks winner, Savannah Success, and A J C Champagne winner Quick Star.

He was also sire of dams including three Cox Plate winners Savabeel , Pinker Pinker and Shamus Award.

All that was achieved from an average book of just 66 mares, during his 18 seasons at stud his declining fertility saw him retired from stud duties in 2006.

Success Express was a great character, while he was infertile for quite a few years; he still received the same personal attention and care as the other sires at Vinery.

Success Express - A Success