Super stallion Snitzel has died aged 23 leaving behind a remarkable legacy on world thoroughbred racing
Group 1 winner turned super stallion Snitzel has died aged 23 leaving behind an ever lasting legacy on the thoroughbred racing landscape.
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Arrowfield Stud’s super sire Snitzel, the nation’s four-time champion stallion, has died. He was 23.
John Messara, Arrowfield’s chairman, told News Corp Snitzel passed away just after 11am on Wednesday.
“We are all devastated by what’s happened,’’ Messara said.
“Snitzel had not been well over the last 12 months with a liver complaint but he has gone downhill rapidly the last few days. I’m still in a state of shock.’’
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In an Arrowfield press release it was revealed: “Despite comprehensive veterinary support and the daily dedication of Arrowfield’s experienced stallion team, his condition deteriorated rapidly over the past week. With no treatment options remaining, the decision was made to allow him a peaceful and dignified farewell.”
A former outstanding sprinter, Snitzel won the 2006 Group 1 Oakleigh Plate before retiring to stud where he forged a deserved reputation as one of the all-time great stallions.
Snitzel has sired 23 individual Group 1 winners and more than 150 individual stakes winners including three Golden Slippers, two The Everests, a Cox Plate, two Golden Roses, four Guineas’, a Flight Stakes, two Magic Millions 2yo Classics, an Inglis Sires trifecta and most of Australia’s feature sprints.
The acclaimed stallion’s best progeny included Redzel, Lady Shenandoah, Trapeze Artist, Russian Revolution, Shamus Award, Snitzerland, Switzerland, Wild Ruler, Sweet Idea, Estijaab and Marhoona.
Boasting more than 1600 race wins as a sire, his progeny won just $273 million in stakes.
Snitzel was a four-time Australian Champion Sire, four-time Champion 2YO Sire, two-time Champion 3YO Sire, and five Inglis Easter sale-toppers and 71 yearlings that have sold for $1 million or more.
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The super stallion has averaged 24 stakes wins every season for a decade and at the southern hemisphere’s premier yearling sale, Inglis Australian Easter Sale, he had seven $1 million-plus lots, including a $2.7 million full brother to Switzerland for a sale-high average of $708,000 for his 32 yearlings.
Snitzel, like his sire and former Arrowfield great Redoute’s Choice, is creating his own legacy with 17 stakes-siring sons and his broodmare daughters are already the source of 46 stakes winners.
The great Snitzel is currently fourth on the Australian Champion Sires rankings for 2024-25 with more than $20.7 million but is also the leading sire for individual stakes winners and stakes wins.
There was a real poignancy to Snitzel’s last winner before his death – a two-year-old first starter at Seymour on Monday called “Job Done”.
Originally published as Super stallion Snitzel has died aged 23 leaving behind a remarkable legacy on world thoroughbred racing
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