‘He put us on the map’: top sire with enormous legacy dies aged 28

The 11-time British champion National Hunt sire Kayf Tara died “peacefully in his paddock” this morning aged 28.

The eight-time winner of the Horse & Hound Cup, presented by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association for the leading active National Hunt British-based stallion (chase winners), retired from stallion duties in 2020.

He spent his last two years in happy retirement at Overbury Stud, where he moved after winning the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot for a second time in 2000. Today, he died following “the routine he’d had since arriving” at the stud all those years ago.

Manager Simon Sweeting paid tribute to Kayf Tara, who was the first stallion to retire to Overbury Stud under his tenure.

“This is a very sad day for all of us at Overbury,” he said. “Kayf Tara really put us on the map and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been with him through every step of what transpired to be an extraordinary career as a jump stallion, in which he won more championships than any other British National Hunt sire in history.

“I remain immensely grateful to Sheikh Mohammed and the Darley team for entrusting him to us. He’s been such a great servant to the National Hunt game and to Overbury Stud, where he was looked after for most of his time by Dan Matty. We will miss him terribly.”

Kayf Tara, bred by Meon Valley Stud, enjoyed top success in his four-year career on the racecourse.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute and laterly Saeed bin Suroor for Godolphin, the Sadler’s Wells son, out of top broodmare Colorspin, won 10 of his 15 starts. These included the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 1998 and 2000, which was his final race. He also scored two Irish St Legers, the Goodwood Cup and the Yorkshire Cup.

He went on to spend 20 seasons at stud, leaving an enormous legacy in National Hunt racing.

His progeny include Edwardstone, who landed his third Grade One victory in the Tingle Creek Chase on Saturday, as well as Thistlecrack, Special Tiara, Edwulf and Carruthers.

Time was called on his career at stud in 2020, owing to declining fertility, which was the year his final crop of foals was born.

“We are all very grateful to Simon Sweeting and his team at Overbury for taking such great care of Kayf Tara for all these years, and we are very proud of the enormous contribution he has made to National Hunt racing and breeding in Britain and beyond during that time,” said Sam Bullard, Darley’s director of stallions.

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