Laminitis kills top sire

Machiavellian, one of Europe’s leading Thoroughbred stallions, has been put down at the age of 17, after suffering from laminitis.

The son of Mr Prospector stood at Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud, Newmarket, for his entire stallion career. He sired many Group One winners, including two Dubai World Cup winners, Street Cry and Almutawakel.

Trained by Francois Boutin to be European Champion two-year-old, he proved one of Mr Prospector’s finest stallion sons. He enjoyed most of his success as a two-year-old, although his progeny have been most successful not as juveniles, but as four or five year olds.

“His loss is a huge blow to everyone at Darley,” says Liam O’Rourke, managing director of Dalham Hall Stud. “He’s been a terrific stallion whose influence will be with us for years to come.”

Machiavellian is Darley’s second stallion this year to fall victim to laminitis. In the Wings, who was if anything more established than his younger counterpart, was put down in April this year.

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