Coolmore America has announced the death of Ashford Stud's elder statesman Tale Of The Cat at the age of 30 due to the infirmities of old age.
A brilliant Group winning sprinter by Storm Cat, Tale of the Cat was retired to Ashford for the 1999 breeding season and went on to sire more than 100 stakes winners worldwide. They include three-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti, Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Stopchargingmaria, and fellow US top-flight winners Lion Heart and Tale Of Ekati.
He was a regular shuttler to the Southern Hemisphere for Coolmore travelling initially to Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand and then to Australia for eight seasons starting in 2003 covering over 1000 mares. He sired 27 stakes-winners here led by Group I winners Glamour Puss, Tell a Tale and Gathering and he is also sire of the dam of Kiwi Group I winner Two Illicit.
“Tale of the Cat was a brilliant servant, he was a wonderful stallion and has turned into a very good broodmare sire; he was a great horse to get a young mare off to a good start,” said Ashford Stud manager Dermot Ryan.
"Tale Of The Cat has been at Ashford for 25 years, so was very much part of the family, he was a great character who was loved by all and I would like to thank Richard Barry and all of his staff past and present who cared for him over the years, both during his stud career and during his retirement."
