Group One-winning mare Loire passed away over the weekend following a paddock accident.
Bred by Trelawney Stud, Loire was by Champion sire Redoute’s Choice and out of Traditionally mare Syrah, a half-sister to Group One winner Vouvray, the grandam of multiple Group One winner and Australian Horse of the Year Pride Of Jenni.
Loire was retained by Trelawney’s Brent and Cherry Taylor and entrusted to the care of Cambridge trainer Tony Pike, for whom she won two and placed in five of her 16 starts, and accrued nearly $250,000 in prizemoney.
She won at just her second start over 1300m at Hastings as a juvenile before returning as three-year-old where she carried Trelawney’s silks to victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and placings in the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m), Gr.2 David and Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2000m), Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m), Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) and Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m).
She failed to add to her record as a four-year-old and was retired to stud where she produced a Frankel filly and a Frankel colt, with the latter offered at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale earlier this month where he was purchased by leading Australian trainer Ciaron Maher for A$500,000.
Loire was a farm favourite and the Taylors said she will be sorely missed.
"She was a wonderful, kind and loving mare who was loved by everyone who had anything to do with her," Cherry Taylor said.
"She was a great type from a wonderful family, the same family as Pride of Jenni. She was a Group One winner of the (New Zealand) 1000 Guineas and sister to another Group One winner (A Touch Of Ruby).
“She also went to Frankel twice and produced a filly, which is a two-year-old called Folle Blanche, who is in work now with Tony Pike.
"She had a great Frankel yearling colt this year, bought by Ciaron Maher, who has kindly let us buy a share in him to race." – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
