A former racehorse who won £6m, was the subject of two films and was cheered off by 33,000 fans when he retired has died aged 34 after 16 years of happy retirement.
Mr Vitality (Vi) had huge success on the track in Hong Kong, but had lived at The Racehorse Sanctuary in West Sussex since 2009.
“Old age had caught up with the poor old boy,” yard manager Nigel Dunger told H&H. “Up to this year, he’d looked an absolute picture and I thought he would get to 35 but we just couldn’t do it.”
Vi was born in 1991, by Snippets out of Savana City. He won multiple Group 1 races including the Stewards Cup and held the Sha Tin course record for the sprint. He was named Hong Kong horse of the year for the 1995-1996 season and had two films made about his career for the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
“He had a massive fanbase and when he left Hong Kong to retire in 1998, 33,000 fans waved him goodbye from the airport,” a spokesperson for the sanctuary said. “He came to our sanctuary on 30 September 2009 and has thrived (and been the boss!) ever since.”
NO.4 MR. VITALITY, JOCKEY LANCE O'SULLIVAN WINNER OF RACE 7, 25 Nov 95. (Photo by DICKSON LEE/South China Morning Post via Getty Images)
(Image credit: South China Morning Post via Getty Images)
Mr Dunger said Vi lived out 24/7, as most of the horses do there.
“He never wanted to come in the stable,” he said. “I try to keep them out as much as possible; you bring the old ones in and they just want to go back out! They’ve got field shelters but I see them when it’s pouring with rain and they won’t go in them. As long as they’re well fed, which they are, they go out and they love it.
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“Vi was a legend, and he was still an independent horse, would still fight his corner. A lovely old boy.”
The spokesperson added that Vi was “very much his own person and always set his own routine and standards”.
“He was a true gentleman in every way,” he said. “He loved his life over the past 16 years here with us. We all shared a special moment with him for his 30th birthday, at our annual open day in September 2021, where he was presented with a birthday cake and we all sang happy birthday to him.
“Mr Vitality, you will be greatly missed, you really were a legend. We will miss you and thank you, it has been an honour to have looked after you.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
