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23-year-old stallion died due to heart failure
Coolmore has announced the death of Rock Of Gibraltar (Danehill) who died on Sunday night due to heart failure. He was 23.
Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Rock Of Gibraltar became the first horse ever to win seven consecutive Group 1 races in the Northern Hemisphere. That winning streak started with the Gran Criterium (1400m) at Longchamp in October 2001 and was followed by the Dewhurst Stakes (7f) later that month. As a three-year-old he won the 2000 Guineas (1m), Irish 2,000 Guineas (1m), St James's Palace Stakes (1m), Susses Stakes (1m) and Prix Moulin de Longchamp (1600m). He had his final career start in the Breeders' Cup Mile (8f) at Arlington Park in October 2002 where he finished second.
Retired to Coolmore Stud in 2003, Rock Of Gibraltar shuttled to Australia, Chile and Brazil and also stood in Japan. The son of Danehill (Danzig) has sired 139 stakes winners to date, with 16 of those winning at Group 1 level. In recent years had been based at Coolmore Stud's Castlehyde farm.
"He was healthy and looking great right up to the end," said Castlehyde manager Paddy Fleming. "He was a fantastic racehorse and a very good sire who will be missed by all the staff here."