Japanese champion sire Heart's Cry retired from stud duties aged 20

Japanese champion sire Heart's Cry has been retired from stud duties at the age of 20, according to local media reports.

Responsible for 51 black type winners and 35 individual Group/Graded winners - including ten at the highest level - Heart's Cry had sired local and international celebrities such as Cox Plate winner Lys Gracieux, Just A Way, Suave Richard and Cheval Grand.

Bred by Shadai Farm, the son of Sunday Silence is out of the Tony Bin mare Irish Dance and had stood for a private fee at Shadai this term.

The veteran has also enjoyed top-level success as a broodmare sire, with his daughters producing Blue Diamond Stakes winner Tagaloa and Satsuki Sho victor Efforia among six black type victors.

Lys Gracieux: daughter of Heart's Cry won the 2019 Cox PlateCredit: Racing Photos

On the track, Heart's Cry won his maiden at the first attempt at three before winning two Listed contests and also finishing second in the then Listed Japanese Derby.

He was named Japanese Horse of the Year at four when winning the Arima Kinen, defeating the mighty Deep Impact in the process, while he was also second in the Japan Cup, Takarazuka Kinen and Sankei Osaka Hai.

Heart's Cry returned to win the Dubai Sheema Classic at five and was also third to Hurricane Run in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He retired with five wins and seven placings from 19 starts and $8,054,175 in prize-money.

He has 20 yearlings and three weanlings entered for the JRHA Select Sale from July 12-13.

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