Dual Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Sinndar dies aged 21

Sinndar, a brilliant winner of the Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe during his stunning three-year-old season in 2000, has died at the age of 21.

Speaking after his Arc triumph, master trainer John Oxx, who prepared Sinndar for all eight of his lifetime starts, said: "He's a great horse and a worthy winner of the Arc in the year 2000.

"He's set a standard there that will be hard enough for others to match and I'm sure that when we get to the year 2099 they will still write about this horse. He's been a great horse."

Bred and raced by the Aga Khan, Sinndar recorded seven wins from eight career starts, a run that included four successes at the highest level. He formed a formidable partnership with Johnny Murtagh, who was in the saddle for all eight races.

Having made a winning debut in September of his two-year-old season, Sinndar gave the first indication of the true depths of his immense talent when he landed the Group 1 National Stakes on just his second outing, when a determined effort saw him hold off Murawwi by a head.

His only defeat came on his three-year-old reappearance, when he had to give 7lb to Grand Finale in a tactical renewal of the Ballysax Stakes. However, he quickly atoned for that reversal by winning the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes.

He would not be be beaten again, as he completed the Anglo-Irish Derby double by an aggregate of ten lengths.

He was sent off joint-fourth favourite at 7-1 at Epsom, but there was an air of inevitability about the result once he angled to Sakhee's outer with around two furlongs to run and he eventually swept by that rival to prevail by a decisive length.

Despite a paucity of opposition, he achieved his peak Racing Post Rating of 132 in the Irish Derby on his next start, which he won by no fewer than nine widening lengths.

Johnny Murtagh: will train for the Aga KhanCredit: Caroline Norris

Having also landed the Group 2 Prix Niel by a yawning eight lengths, Sinndar brought the curtain down on his racing career with victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a performance that bore all the hallmarks – namely an ample amount of class and an irrepressible level of determination – of his time on course.

Having steered Sinndar to a length-and-a-half success over the likes of Egyptband, Volvorta and Montjeu at Longchamp, Murtagh said: "No horse can get by him. He's got speed, he's got staying ability and a great heart. He's the best horse. A true champion."

Sinndar retired to the Aga Khan's Irish breeding arm at Gilltown Stud the following year, where he began covering at a fee of Ir£30,000. He spent five years on duty at Gilltown before he transferred to his owner's French farm, Haras de Bonneval, where he spent a further ten seasons.

He rounded off his stud career with a two-year spell at Haras National du Lion d'Angers.

During his time at stud, Sinndar supplied the Aga Khan with three homebred Group 1 winners, namely Rosanara, Shareta, Shawanda, but will probably be best remembered as the sire of Youmzain, a dual Group 1 winner who also memorably finished runner-up in three Arcs.

Despite his exploits as a sire, his name looks most likely to be kept alive in pedigrees through his broodmare daughters, who have already produced the likes of Irish Derby winner Trading Leather, St Leger Stakes winner Encke and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Flotilla.

The best horse sired by champion two-year-old Grand Lodge, Sinndar was out of the Listed-winning Lashkari mare Sinntara, who produced nine winners. This is a branch of the family that has been kept active this year thanks to Marie's Diamond, winner of the Anglesey Stakes.

Sinndar had retired to Haras d’Ouilly at the end of the 2017 breeding season, meaning his final crop of foals was born earlier this year.

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