'You were my hero, my life and infinitely more' - top-class German sire Soldier Hollow dies aged 24

Soldier Hollow, a champion racehorse and perennial leading sire in Germany, has died at the age of 24. 

The globetrotting mile and a quarter performer had been unwell for a little while and had returned to his home at Gestut Auenquelle after a spell at a veterinary clinic in Telgte. 

Paying tribute on Facebook, Soldier Hollow's owner Helmut von Finck said: "Soldier Hollow, the horse of my life. You have done endlessly for me and the whole thoroughbred. You were my hero, my life and infinitely more . . . Rest in peace, I'm lost for words today but I'll carry you in my heart forever."

Bred by Car Colston Hall Stud, the German horse of the year and multiple champion older horse initially retired to Gestut Rottgen for an opening fee of €6,500 in 2008, standing there until 2011, when he moved to Auenquelle. 

His fee has been private for the last few seasons but had risen to the heights of €30,000 when made public.

The son of In The Wings has sired 30 individual Group winners, including five at Group 1, and 64 at black-type level. He has been domestic champion sire on three occasions. 

His progeny are headed by Deutsches Derby and Prix Ganay hero Pastorius, dual hemisphere Group 1 winner Ivanhowe, another Deutsches Derby winner in Weltstar, Grosser Preis von Berlin victor Dschingis Secret, and Preis der Diana heroine Serienholde, the last named also the dam of top-class Japanese performer and new Shadai stallion Schnell Meister.

Just on Sunday his Prix Miesque winner Tamfana looked somewhat unlucky not to add Classic glory to her sire's CV when a length fourth in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Soldier Hollow has also had some notable results in jump racing, particularly over hurdles.

He was the sire of Hatton's Grace winner and Champion Hurdle runner-up Arctic Fire and another Willie Mullins Grade 1 winner in Saldier, with another Cheltenham Festival score coming along this year through the Joseph O'Brien-trained Lark In The Mornin in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

Pastorius: one of Soldier Hollow's leading progenyCredit: Gestut Fahrhof

Soldier Hollow, out of Car Colston's winning sprinter Island Race, sold to German International Bloodstock for 75,000gns from Tattersalls in 2001 as a yearling. 

Sent into training with Peter Schiergen, the diminutive colt owned by Von Fink's Gestut Park Wiedingen won at Listed level at two before landing his first Pattern race in the Dr Busch Memorial at three. 

After three further Group 2 or 3 wins the following year, Soldier Hollow won his first top-level contest in the 2004 Premio Roma at the Capannelle. He went on to record back-to-back successes in that race and took the Group 1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in 2005 and 2007. 

He is the only horse in Germany to win stakes races from two to seven years old and took his connections to Hong Kong and the United States, where he was third in the 2006 Arlington Million.

Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke, the co-owner of Gestut Auenquelle, reported the news to German racing publication GaloppOnline and said Soldier Hollow had been "already very weak" after returning to the stud. 

"There are still five or six mares of his currently in foal, so these will be his last offspring," he said.

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