'He was a real character and yard favourite' - Flood family pays tribute to Court Cave

Court Cave, sire of Cheltenham Festival winners including City Island and Willoughby Court, has died at his home of Boardsmill Stud in County Meath at the age of 23.

The son of Sadler's Wells and Irish Oaks heroine Wemyss Bight was a full-brother to Group 1 winner and sire Beat Hollow and hailed from one of Juddmonte's most prolific stallion-producing families.

In a statement on Friday, Boardsmill Stud's William and John Flood said: "We are sad to announce the passing of Court Cave who died suddenly in his stable this week.

"Court Cave was a wonderful servant to us and had just completed his 21st covering season here since we acquired him from Juddmonte Farms as an unraced three-year-old in 2004. 

"He was in rude health right up to his passing and his death came as a big shock to everyone here as he was a real character and yard favourite. Right up to his passing, many visitors to the yard were amazed at his wellbeing despite his advancing years."

Starting out his stud career 20 years ago, the unraced Court Cave rose from relative obscurity to become an acknowledged source of high-class performers, particularly at the Cheltenham Festival, the scene of the Grade 1 Ballymore/Neptune Investments Novices' Hurdle successes of his sons City Island and Willoughby Court.

In addition to that pair, Court Cave's best progeny include another festival winner in Mister Whitaker, the multiple Grade 2 winner Champion Court and Court Minstrel, victorious in the Scottish Champion Hurdle.

City Island: Grade 1 winner is a son of Court CaveCredit: Alan Crowhurst

His star performer last season was Grade 2 Lightning Novices' Chase winner JPR One, who was third in the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase. His full-brother Deep Cave, who won at Clairefontaine this week, is one of the expected highlights of the Goffs UK Summer Sale in Doncaster on Monday.

The Floods added: "We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many loyal breeders who continued to use Court Cave throughout his career and to all who looked after him, in particular John O’Connell, who was here throughout his entire stud career."

Thirty-one years on from his dam's Curragh Classic, her family remains enormously influential in both Flat and National Hunt breeding.

Beat Hollow was a five-time Group/Grade 1 winner, notably in the Grand Prix de Paris, for Juddmonte and at stud he sired top-level winners in both hemispheres, including Group 1 Doomben Cup and Irish St Leger victors Beaten Up and Wicklow Brave, and Cheltenham Gold Cup history-maker Minella Indo.

Wemyss Bay, a full-sister to Court Cave and Beat Hollow, is the dam of Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase and Future Champions Finale Juvenile Hurdle winner Allmankind.

By Dancing Brave, Wemyss Bight is a half-sister to Trellis Bay, by Sadler's Wells, whose Zamindar daughter, the Listed Stubb Stakes second Cinnamon Bay, is the dam of Prix du Jockey Club hero New Bay, who is a Group 1 sire for Ballylinch Stud.

Wemyss Bight is also a half-sister to Coraline, again by Sadler's Wells, and she is the dam of the Group 2-winning stayer Martaline, who became a leading National Hunt sire in France. Coraline is also the dam of Group 1 Prix du Cadran winner Reefscape and Group 2 winner Coastal Path.

Another half-sister to Wemyss Bight is Hope, the dam of Group 1 winner and leading sire Oasis Dream and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Zenda, dam of multiple Group 1 winner and sire Kingman.

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