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Not old age then.
Happy retirement SW.
Ginge
HAPPY RETEREMENT??? the chap has been getting his leg over since 1984ish hope mine is just as good
The fact that he’s still been covering mares at the age of 27 is testament to his constitution and vitality. Let’s hope he has a few more years of happy, healthy retirement ahead of him.
He was a fine sire, but a little behind (from the last 100 years) stallions like Phalaris, The Tetrarch, Tourbillon, Hyperion, Nearco and Nasrullah.
When, in two hundred years time, the historians muse on racing at the turn of the 21st century Sadlers Wells will probably be the defining icon, ahead of all the Fallons, O’Briens and McCoys. End of an era is correct.
Venusian – what basis have you used to arrive at the conclusion he was behind those in the list you’ve outlined? he was perhaps no Nearco but I’m not sure he could be judged to be inferior to any of the rest on the list.
Hope the good old boy has a long and happy retirement.
I’m with Ven on this – although Sadler’s Wells has set new records and been a legend in his lifetime, he has had quantity and quality of mares and marketing that were not available to earlier champion sires. His strike rate is admirable, but he has had every opportunity and his share of duds in with the good.
he has had … his share of duds in with the good.
Haven’t we all, Sal, haven’t we all!
A few photos of the old boy that I took 4 years ago.
I’ll leave off the one of him thinking of his favourite fillies…
Venusian – what basis have you used to arrive at the conclusion he was behind those in the list you’ve outlined? he was perhaps no Nearco but I’m not sure he could be judged to be inferior to any of the rest on the list.
Sadler’s Wells has a current black-type-winners-to-foals percentage of 14.7%, and an AEI (AverageEarnings Index) of 3.82 – extremely impressive numbers.
But Nasrullah’s figures, for example, are 23.5% and 5.16.
I don’t have the same figures for The Tetrarch, but his Group1-winners-to-foals percentage is nearly 8%! (that’s 10 G1 winners from 130 foals by my calculations).
Phalaris’s numbers I don’t know, but his contribution to the breed can truly be described as breed-shaping.
If we go abroad, Northern Dancer has figures of 23% and 5.14, while Bold Ruler is also at 23%, but a staggering AEI of 7.73.
What a brilliant veteran of the sport he has become.
Interesting that one forumite has mentioned him being the defining stallion in the turn of the 21st century. What I ask is … how does one compare him to Danehill?
All the very best Sadler’s Wells.
I’d agree that Saddlers Wells is mostly hype. His good are very good, but his bad are dreadful. At least if you get a useless Danehill descendant, it is sound enough, can breathe enough, and doesn’t bleed enough to find a race somewhere.
I too was lucky enough to meet him in the flesh about 3 years ago now and he looked fantastic. I hope he has a long happy retirement.
I too was lucky enough to meet him in the flesh about 3 years ago now and he looked fantastic. [b:3qq5qemn]I hope he has a long happy retirement.
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and getting your leg over for 24 years isnt ??
He won’t know what to do to fill his days.
Anyone suggest a hobby?
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
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