RIP Indian Ridge

[K~2]

I just read this on another webpage, and was quite saddened...


INDIAN RIDGE, sire of such outstanding performers as the Breeders’ Cup Mile winners Domedriver and Ridgewood Pearl and this season’s Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Indian Ink, died on Tuesday after suffering an apparent heart attack at the Irish National Stud. The 21-year-old son of Ahonoora had covered a full book of 70 mares this season.

John Clarke, director of the Irish National Stud, where Indian Ridge had stood for the last 12 years, on Tuesday paid tribute to the stallion. He said: “Indian Ridge has left a wonderful legacy behind. He was one of our greatest stallions here at the Irish National Stud, and he was a real old friend to everyone here.”
Racing Post breeding expert Tony Morris on Tuesday said: “Indian Ridge exceeded expectations from the start, when covering ordinary mares in England at bargain-basement prices, and his early successes earned him the better opportunities that ensured his continued importance at the Irish National Stud.

“Because his pedigree lacked the so-pervasive Northern Dancer and Mr Prospector influences, he was a valuable asset to European breeders as an outcross, and as he delivered sons and daughters who have made, and are continuing to make, a considerable mark at stud, he leaves a rich legacy to the breed.”

The sire of eight Group 1 winners, Indian Ridge’s tally includes the winners of two Classics- Ridgewood Pearl in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Indian Haven in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.

He also has the distinction of having got a stakes-winning juvenile in 13of his 14 crops of racing age. These are headed by Indian Ink, who added the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes to her haul last month.

Out of the Swing Easy mare Hillbrow, Indian Ridge was a high-class performer during his three seasons of racing for trainer David Elsworth, winning from 5-7f.

Bought for Ir22,000gns at the 1986 Goffs yearling sales and campaigned in the colours of Mrs Anne Coughlan, he was twice a winner over 6f at two, having been second on his debut behind the exceptional miler Warning.

A winning reappearance at three in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot saw him defeat one of the previous season’s leading juveniles, Salse, but he was disappointing thereafter- outpaced in the July Cup on his next start he was also found wanting over a mile later in the season when contesting the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Dropped back to 6f on his debut at four, Indian Ridge landed the Group 3 Duke Of York Stakes before beating the likes of Cadeaux Genereux and Handsome Sailor in the Group 2 King’s Stand. His final race came in the Prix Maurice du Gheest in Deauville, where he could finish only fifth.

David Elsworth recalled Indian Ridge’s career on Tuesday, saying: “He was a wonderful horse. He broke the track record over 7f at Ascot when he beat Salse, and then won the King's Stand back over 5f. "He was an outstanding stallion, who made it from humble beginnings with only a few mares, and he made it to the top of the tree. I've got two yearlings by him this year, one of which I bought, and of course Vital Statistics did very well for me this year so he is still a big influence in my training career.”

Having started his career at the Irish National Stud, Ahonoora was bought for Ir£7m by Coolmore in 1987 and had proved himself a solid sire but while on shuttle stallion duty in Australia in 1989, Ahonoora suffered a fractured leg and had to be destroyed.

The news that Indian Ridge was to become Ahonoora’s first son at stud in Britain was well received and the stallion began his stud career in 1990 at the Campbell Stud at Elmswell Park near Bury St Edmonds, where his fee was initially set at £5,000.

His talent as a sire was evident from the outset, with three juvenile stakes winners in his first crop, including the Group 3 Solario Stakes winner Island Magic and Fumo Di Londra and Straight Arrow, both Listed winners in Italy. The Group 3 Gladness Stakes winner Ridgewood Ben, also third in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, was also conceived in his first crop.

Those successes helped him to the title of leading UK-based first crop sire by individual winners in Britain and Ireland in 1993, and it was announced midway through the year that Indian Ridge would follow in sire’s footsteps by continuing his career at the Irish National Stud.

Top-class performers such as the excellent miler Ridgewood Pearl and the 1995 Irish Derby runner-up Definite Article, both conceived during his British stud career, continued to advertise Indian Ridge at the highest level on the track, and the stallion lost no time in adding to his tally of Group 1 winners after his move to the Irish National Stud.

Compton Place, successful in the 1997 July Cup, and Namid, winner of the 2000 Prix de l’Abbaye, are examples of the speedy types got by Indian Ridge, but the stallion also proved himself capable of siring classy performers over middle distances, with Relaxed Gesture, winner of last year’s Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine, the most recent example.

Since moving to Ireland, Indian Ridge’s fee steadily increased, having been boosted from IR9,000gns to IR20,000gns in 1996 following the globetrotting exploits of Ridgewood Pearl, conceived at the bargain fee of £5,000. In 2004 it hit a high point of €85,000, and for the last two years he has stood for €75,000.

With 14 sons currently at stud in Europe, Indian Ridge’s legacy is certain to be maintained. The Irish National Stud stands his Classic-winning son Indian Haven, who has his first foals on the ground this year, while the Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Domedriver, standing at Kirsten Rausing’s Lanwades Stud, was represented by his first yearlings this year.

Indian Ridge has also made his mark as a broodmare sire, with his daughters having produced the Group 1 winners Nightime, Airwave, Wilko, and Reel Buddy

[Intrinsic Worth]

John Clarke has to be devastated. He absolutely loved that horse. Indian Ridge was a class act to be around.

[jellac]

As breeders we should all mourn the loss of such a classic capable outcross option. Indian Ridge was a stallion that earned his respect as they say in those 'financial' ads: the hard way - he worked for it. Starting out at very modest stud fees and equally modest mares he made his mark when his progeny began racing and showing the stuff they were made of. His sons AND his daughters are doing well by him. RIP Indian Ridge.

[erins isle]

What an awful news, I agree he earned it the hard way, just like his daddy Ahonoora, who was very cheap at first when he also stood at the Irish National Stud.
Let's hope his sons will continue the good work.
RIP Indian Ridge, I will never forget you.