'A real favourite' - death of Group 1 winner and leading National Hunt sire Kalanisi at 27

Group 1 winner Kalanisi, who earned the affection and admiration of the racing public for his titanic tussles with Giant's Causeway before becoming a top-class National Hunt sire, has died at the age of 27.

Kalanisi resided at Boardsmill Stud in County Meath, where he had stood from 2008 until his retirement three years ago.

John and William Flood said in a joint-statement: “We are sad to announce the passing of our stalwart sire Kalanisi, who died suddenly in his paddock this week. 

"He'd been enjoying his well-earned retirement in his paddock here for the past few years. Kalanisi was a real favourite with everyone in the yard and with visitors too. He was a huge attraction with both racing fans and breeders during the ITM stallion trail every year."

Bred by the Aga Khan, Kalanisi was unraced at two and went unbeaten through his three-year-old season, which culminated with success in the Heron Stakes for Luca Cumani. 

Transferred to the care of Sir Michael Stoute ahead of his four-year-old campaign, he defeated Dansili by half a length in the Queen Anne Stakes before the first of those memorable battles with Giant's Causeway in the Eclipse. Conceding 11lb to the Iron Horse, he went down by just a head at Sandown, with Group 1 winners Shiva, Sakhee and Fantastic Light all in behind.

Giant's Causeway and Mick Kinane (far side) battle Kalanisi and Pat Eddery in the International StakesCredit: Mark Cranham

The rematch between the two occurred in York's International Stakes and, in almost an action replay of the Sandown race, the son of Doyoun went down fighting once more, with the year-younger Giant's Causeway getting to the front only in the dying strides.

Their paths then diverged, with Kalanisi heading to Newmarket for the Champion Stakes, where he earned his first Group 1 victory. That was over another legend of the turf in Arc hero Montjeu.

Stepped up to a mile and a half for the first time in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs, Kalanisi added a second top-level success to round out a remarkable season and he was crowned champion older horse for 2000.

He returned at five in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, finishing third to Fantastic Light, and his final start was to be in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he was runner-up to the Godolphin horse.

Kalanisi retired to the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud in County Kildare for the 2002 breeding season and his early crops produced a Royal Ascot winner in Missoula and a Cheltenham Festival hero in Katchit, the Triumph Hurdle winner who went on to land the following season's Champion Hurdle.

Champion Hurdle winner Katchit was from the first crop of KalanisiCredit: David Dew

He was acquired by the Flood family from the Aga Khan and began his National Hunt stallion career in 2008. Active until 2020, when he was retired from stud duties due to fertility issues, Kalanisi became a reliable source of tough and talented jumpers. His best offspring include Manifesto Novices' Chase winner Kalashnikov, dual Grade 1 bumper winner Fayonagh and Barters Hill, who was victorious in the Challow Hurdle.

In addition to his Cheltenham Grade 1 winners Katchit and Fayonagh, he sired festival winners Imperial Aura and The Conditional, American Grand National winner Brain Power, Champion Hurdle third Darver Star and classy hurdler Blazing Khal, whose most recent success came in the Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle at Navan in February.

As a broodmare sire, he features in the pedigree of last year's Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Aristia, while the exciting Impervious, a Grade 2 winner at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown festivals in 2023, is also out of a daughter of Kalanisi.

And there is still potential for his progeny to enhance their sire's legacy.

"He has a final crop of 25 three-year-olds and has three representatives of this crop on offer at both the Goffs Arkle Sale and Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale," the Floods added.

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