NEWS
Champion and sire Celtic Swing dies in Italy
Posted: Saturday, September 04, 2010 5:08 PM
European champion Celtic Swing, sire of Australian champion Takeover Target and European champion Six Perfections (Fr), died on Thursday following a short illness in Italy, where he stood the 2010 season.
The 18-year-old by Damister out of the winning Welsh Pageant mare Celtic Ring was owned by former British Horseracing Board Chairman Peter Savill, who campaigned him in an undefeated season as a two-year-old in 1994. He was trained by Lady Anne Herries, the daughter of his breeder, Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk.
Celtic Swing won three races in as many starts by a combined margin of 24 lengths as a juvenile, capped by his electrifying 12-length romp in the Racing Post Trophy (Eng-G1), and was crowned Europe’s champion two-year-old.
In 1995, he won the Prix du Jockey Club les Emirats Arabes Unis (Fr-G1) (French Derby) after finishing second in the Madagans Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1). Overall, he posted five wins and one second from seven career starts and earned $777,299.
“He was the best horse I’ve ever had by far and the best I am ever likely to have,” Savill told Racing Post. “He was an absolutely brilliant racehorse.”
Celtic Swing was retired to stand his first season at the National Stud in Newmarket and from his second crop emerged Australian superstar sprinter Takeover Target, who won eight Group 1 races while competing in his native country, England, Japan, and Singapore. He won 21 of 41 career starts and earned $4,625,907 and was Australia’s champion sprinter of 2006.
Six Perfections, from Celtic Swing’s third crop, was Europe’s champion two-year-old filly of 2002 and won the ’03 NetJets Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
A multiple Group 1 winner in France, she captured Prix Marcel Boussac Criterium Pouliches-Royal Barriere de Deauville (Fr) at two and the ’03 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (Fr-G1). Also at three, Six Perfections finished second in both the Sagitta One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) and Entenmanns Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1). She finished second in the ’04 Mile at Lone Star Park and concluded her career with a record of six wins, six seconds, and one third in 14 career starts and $1,811, 179 in earnings.
Celtic Swing’s 23 stakes winners from 11 crops of racing age also include Racamadour, third in the 2005 Prix du Jockey Club (Fr-G1) (French Derby); Rattle and Hum, winner of the ‘06 Premio Parioli Antonveneta (Ity-G2) (Italian Two Thousand Guineas); and Freemusic, runner-up in the ’07 Italian Two Thousand Guineas.
After nine years at the Irish National Stud in County Kildare, Celtic Swing was shifted to stand this year at Allevamento di Besnate in Italy.
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: DeeAnn, Minnetonka, MN on September 06, 2010 at 01:43 PM
I saw Celtic Swing last September when I visited the Irish National Stud. What a beautiful stallion, so relaxed in his paddock. Not being all that familiar with European racing, I looked up his record and was impressed.
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Posted by: james, cork, IL on September 04, 2010 at 06:52 PM
My uncle Dan O Donovan broke in Celtic Swing and i was priviledged to witness his rise to stardom on my several visits to Lady Herries yard.The best 2 yr old there ever has been and if he had his proper ground as a 3yr old could have been one of the all time greats.Was there the day he left the yard and have one of his shoes.Sad news but great memories.
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