Great German racemare and producer Elle Danzig dies at 22

Elle Danzig, one of the best German racemares of recent times who later enjoyed a distinguished career as a broodmare, has died at Gestut Wittekindshof, the stud that bred and owned her.

The daughter of Roi Danzig, who was 22, passed away hours after delivering a healthy filly foal by Maxios.

Elle Danzig was trained by Andreas Schutz to win both the German 1,000 Guineas and Preis der Diana by wide margins. She also landed the Hansa-Preis, Grosser Dallmayr-Preis and Preis der Deutschen Einheit at three.

In the following season she won the Grosser Preis der Gelsenkirchener Wirtschaft and Preis der Badischen Sparkassen en route to taking the scalp of John Gosden's Handsome Ridge to win the Premio Roma at Capannelle by one and a half lengths.

At five she added victories in the Preis der Badischen Sparkassen and Euro Cup to her resume, along with another score in the Premio Roma – this time by five lengths from the Ian Balding-trained Border Arrow.

She signed off her career with a highly creditable fifth behind Fantastic Light in the Hong Kong Cup.

Many top-class racemares do not replicate their success in the paddocks, but Elle Danzig delivered a high concentration of quality performers.

She has produced 11 winners, seven of them black-type performers: Elle Shadow (by Shamardal), a three-time Group 3 winner who was second in the Preis der Diana, was her best and there was also Listed scorers El Comodin (Monsun) and Elle Gala (Galileo), Park Hill Stakes third Asyad (New Approach) and Listed-placed Elle Galante (Galileo), Elle Same (Samum) and Lyric Street (Hurricane Run).

Elle Galante is, in turn, the dam of King Edward VII Stakes winner Balios and Listed-placed Cersei.

Elle Shadow's four-year-old son by Pivotal, El Vip, looks capable of developing into another black-type performer for his dam, as he has won two races for Luca Cumani and was a close third in a red-hot handicap at Bath on Friday.

A statement from Gestut Wittekindshof said: “We're proud that our stud farm was Elle Danzig's home for 22 years and we bid farewell to one of the greats.”