Segenhoe Stud's Peter O'Brien reported that the 21-year-old mare Vegas Showgirl, the dam of Winx, died on Sunday morning.
Bred by Aotearoa Stud Ltd and Graeme Rogerson, Vegas Showgirl was a dual-Listed stakes-winning daughter of Al Akbar. She was a $455,000 purchase by Colm Santry Bloodstock on behalf of John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds at the 2008 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
In addition to the 25-time Group 1 winner and $26,451,175 earner Winx (Street Cry), Vegas Showgirl is the dam of Group III ATC Kindergarten Stakes winner El Divino (Snitzel), and Riverbank Stud's unraced Boulder City (Snitzel) a $2.3million yearling.
At Geelong on September 25, the Fairway Thoroughbreds homebred Time Of My Life made a winning career debut for Peter Moody, becoming the fifth winner from as many to race for Vegas Showgirl.
Vegas Showgirl has a 2-year-old filly by Pride of Dubai called Taleitaki in training with Michael Freedman.
Her lightly raced 4-year-old daughter by the legend Deep Impact (JPN), City of Lights, also made a winning debut at Geelong in June for Anthony and Sam Freedman. Now in work with Joe Pride, City Of Lights has been nominated for a fillies and mares Benchmark 72 (1550m) at Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday.
Vegas Showgirl left seven fillies from ten foals.
The unraced Courchevel (Snitzel), has a yearling filly by Capitalist and foaled a Dundeel colt in August.
The winning Exceed And Excel mare Covent Garden was covered last season by I Am Invincible after losing her first foal by the champion Australian stallion.
Vegas Showgirl's first foal, Miss Atom Bomb (Encosta de Lago), has a 2-year-old colt by I Am Invincible, a yearling colt by So You Think and was covered last spring by Street Boss (USA).
The trials and tribulations of Winx at stud have been well-reported. The champion's only foal to date, a filly by Pierro, is slated to go under the hammer at Easter next year.
After missing to Snitzel last year, Winx returns to the Arrowfield Stud champion this spring.
