Hinchinbrook (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}–Snippet's Lass {Aus}, by Snippets {Aus}), a champion first-season sire during the 2014/15 season, has died after sustaining a broken hind leg, Yarraman Park Stud announced early Monday morning. The three-quarter brother to champion sire Snitzel (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), slated to cover a full book of mares at A$55,000 this coming season, was 10.
“We are devastated as you can imagine,” said Harry Mitchell of Yarraman Park. “He's been a special horse for us and we believed in him from the start. He wasn't an easy horse to get going as he was not the most fertile, but he kept proving himself and getting that good horse. It just breaks your heart, but it's something that happens. It happened to Northern Meteor (Aus) and it happened to Scat Daddy, as sad as it is, you have to regroup and move on.”
Bred by Francois Naude in Queensland and foaled and raised at Yarraman Park, the bay won the G3 Skyline S. and also ran third in the G1Inglis AJC Sires' Produce S. to end his juvenile season. At three, the Peter Moody trainee faced off against worldbeaters Black Caviar (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus}) and Hay List (Aus) (Statue of Liberty) among others, but did manage to fill the frame when third in the G1 Oakleigh Plate and G1 William Reid S. The September foal ended his career with a runner-up performance in the G1 All-Aged S. and retired to stand at Yarraman Park sporting a record of 14-2-1-6, $566,585.
Hinchinbrook's success at stud-he started out at A$16,500-was immediate, with MG1SW Press Statement (Aus) flying the flag from his first crop. Already the sire of 14 black-type winners to date, the 10-year-old has been represented by G1 Champagne S. victress Seabrook (Aus) among his five black-type winners and 100 scorers who have earned north of A$6.2 million for the 2017/2018 season alone. Hinchinbrook's influence will continue to be felt for many years, as he covered books of 148 and 129 mares, respectively, at fees of A$38,500 and A$44,000 the past two breeding seasons.
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