'We have some wonderful memories' - Irish St Leger hero Arctic Owl dies aged 27

Arctic Owl, winner of the Irish St Leger at the Curragh in 2000 and fifth in the Melbourne Cup later the same year, has died at the age of 27.

A leading light of James Fanshawe's Newmarket yard, Arctic Owl was also successful in both the Group 3 Jockey Club Stakes at Flat racing's headquarters and the Henry II Stakes at Sandown in a career that yielded ten wins from 25 starts and £367,252 in prize-money.

"He was a wonderful horse who was really classy," said Fanshawe. "He was too much of a character to begin with and was gelded very early because he was naughty but we have some wonderful memories."

Owned by The Owl Society, which included David Morgan, Philip Newton and friends, Arctic Owl made a winning debut at Windsor as a three-year-old in 1997 before progressing through the handicap ranks and eventually becoming a regular in staying Group races on the Flat.

Fanshawe added: "He wasn't the best of movers in his early days and I put everyone off on his debut at Windsor and he won at 25-1, so I very nearly lost him after his first start!"

James Fanshawe: many happy memories of classy stayer Arctic OwlCredit: Edward Whitaker

His crowning moment and sole Group 1 victory came in the Irish St Leger, in which he defeated another popular stayer Yavana's Pace by one and a half lengths under David Harrison. He went on to finish fifth in the Melbourne Cup and ended his career with victory at Windsor in 2002.

"The Irish St Leger was definitely the highlight," said Fanshawe. "David Harrison rode him and he won well. He loved some cut in the ground which he got that day.

"He also gave the owners a trip to the Melbourne Cup and ran very well. Unfortunately he got a tendon injury and had a year off and we brought him back with a view to going jumping but he didn't enjoy that at all, but he was a horse who came through the ranks and raced until he was eight."

Fanshawe has particularly fond memories of his 1998 Jockey Club Stakes victory, the first leg of a Newmarket double for the yard completed by Family Man in the next race on the card and on the same day he won the Group 1 Prix du Cadran with Invermark.

The trainer said: "We'd had a good start to training but had been going through a quiet time and then in 1998 we had an amazing season. It was a real resurgence and Arctic Owl was part of it."

Arctic Owl spent a long and happy retirement with Morgan's daughter Elli at her home in Devon and enjoyed spells in both the dressage ring and show jumping, and later in life proved the perfect father figure around younger horses.

"He had a wonderful retirement in Devon with Elli Morgan and they doted on him," said Fanshawe. "The only thing he'd be annoyed about is that Invermark, who is still around, outstayed him in the end."

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