Passing Of Bankable(IRE) Share Sad news has arrived of the unexpected passing of one of Summerhill's new stallion acquisitions last year, Bankable(IRE). He died quickly from severe complications arising from colic, which had become inoperable. He covered his first season of mares in 2011, standing for a fee of R20 000 excl Vat. "He was a lovely horse, both as a specimen and as a personality, and he'd grown into an imposing stallion," said Greig Muir, Summherill's Stallion manager who has been managing the stallion barn at Summerhill for close to quarter of a century now. "His manners in the covering yard were exemplary and his fertility was excellent, to the point that he will have exceeded 90% in foal by the time the final returns come in. "It's a great loss not only to us, but to President Kadyrov, who had developed a special affection for the horse, to the degree of supporting with 24 of his own mares, all of which are tested in foal. All told, we will have of the order of 70 of his progeny on the farm and hopefully there will be a couple of champions among them." The only son of Medicean standing in South Africa, Bankable was an exciting prospect indeed. He weighed in at a monstrous 560kg in training and his trainer Herman Brown Jnr described him as the best-looking specimen of a thoroughbred he’s been associated with. He also commented when re-united with Bankable on his arrival at Summerhill Stud before the breeding season: "For me, there was very little between Bankable and Jay Peg. Bankable had the perfect temperament and was confirmationally faultless which gave him the ability to perform over a broader distance with tremendous ability." Bankable backed up these incredible credentials with a pedigree to match - being out of Dance To The Top by Sadler's Wells (with Irish River and Habitat found in the dam-line as well). A 40,000 gns Tattersalls foal and a 160,000 Tattersalls yearling, Bankable is a half-brother to Group Three Grand Prix de Vichy winner Cheshire out of the winner Dance To The Top, third in the Group One Fillies' Mile. She is an own sister to the Listed-placed winner Dancing Prize, herself the dam of two black-type performers, and a half-sister to the Group Two-placed Listed winner Polar Bear. The second dam Aim For The Top won twice at Listed level and a Group Three in Milan, and is a half-sister to Group Two Gimcrack winner Splendent. Bankable boasted a Timeform Rating of 122 while Greig Muir described him on his arrival as: "Perhaps one of the best-looking horses to come through the Summerhill gates in the last decade. He descends from a great sire line and is out of a mare by one of the world’s all time greatest broodmare sires, Sadler’s Wells. He’s perfect". Bankable earned over R20 million in stakes over distances from 1200-1800m and ran World Champion Raven’s Pass to one length whilst giving him 6lbs. With 8 wins (including 4 at Group and Stakes level)and 8 places (including 2 places at Group 1 level), he raced in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Singapore from the age of 3 - 7 years. His sire Medicean (by Machiavellian out of Mystic Goddess by Storm Bird) was a 6-time winner including Gr1 Eclipse Stakes, Gr1 Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes, Gr2 Celebration Mile and the Gr2 Queen Anne Stakes. He retired to stud with a Rated Timeform of 128. He is making his mark at stud, being the sire of Grade 1 winners of both sexes and becoming a Sire of sires including Dutch Art, who last year was the Leading First Crop Sire in the UK with stakes earned. We look forward to the successful legacy he will pass onto his foals in the season of 2012. For extended pedigree and information click here.

=vc"