Penhill sire Mount Nelson dies aged 15

Mount Nelson, who had moved to Boardsmill Stud in 2017 to cement his position as a National Hunt stallion, has died aged 15 from a long-term infection.

Bred by Cliveden Stud, he was bought for 320,000gns by Demi O'Byrne as a yearling and was a Group 1 winner for Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore as a juvenile in the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud.

Mount Nelson missed the vast majority of his Classic season but was to claim another major success at four when landing the Coral-Eclipse and signed off with a third in the Arlington Million.

He began his stallion career at Newsells Park and has made an impression with runners on the Flat headed by British Champions Sprint Stakes scorer Librisa Breeze as well as two Group 1 winners in Argentina, while Berkshire won the Chesham Stakes and the Royal Lodge as a two-year-old.

As well as being the broodmare sire of unbeaten National Stakes winner Quorto, Mount Nelson's first runners over obstacles began to impress and Penhill landed back-to-back Cheltenham victories in the Albert Bartlett and then last year's Stayers' Hurdle.

Penhill is Mount Nelson's highest profile jumper to dateCredit: Mark Cranham

He caught the attention of the Flood family at Boardsmill and, in a deal brokered by Barry Lynch, moved to Ireland to take up duties as a dual-purpose sire.

John Flood said: "Mount Nelson has sadly passed away following a prolonged battle with lymphangitis.

"He had suffered from the condition for a past number of years but it was kept under control with great management from our team here at Boardsmill and also the team at Newsells Park Stud, where he stood previously.

"However, the condition worsened significantly this spring and it resulted in him missing the second half of the covering season."

He added: "Mount Nelson showed great battling qualities through these last few months but despite the best efforts of the team at Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital and the whole team here at Boardsmill, the condition progressively worsened throughout the year and ultimately our efforts to save him were in vain."

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