'A wonderful mare and a great friend' - death of black-type winner and producer Cartimandua aged 22

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Cartimandua, a talented racemare and proven producer from her owner-breeders Brent and Fiona Williams’ rags-to-riches family of Boadicea’s Chariot, has died aged 22.

Cartimandua, a daughter of Medicean, was out of Oh So Sharp Stakes winner Agrippina, who was bred on a shoestring by the Williams’, her sire being the inexpensive option Timeless Times and her dam being the Stratford selling hurdle winner Boadicea’s Chariot, who was bought at the end of her racing career for the princely sum of 800gns.

Cartimandua was sent out by Ed McMahon to win the Listed Cecil Frail Stakes at Haydock by four lengths at three and the Listed Kilvington Stakes at Nottingham by two lengths at four. She also finished a close third in the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes at Leopardstown.

Cartimandua produced four winners for the Williams’ Wern Ucha Farm in Flintshire, headed by July Stakes third Elronaq and smart staying handicapper Vindolanda. She is also the maternal granddam of last year’s impressive Sandown maiden scorer Sticktoyourguns and Saturday’s Punchestown Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle runner-up Bartholomew.

From humble beginnings, the Boadicea’s Chariot family really hit the big time last year, when Cicero’s Gift – out of Cartimandua’s winning half-sister Terentia – landed the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day at odds of 100-1.

Brent and Fiona Williams told the remarkable Cinderella story of Boadicea’s Chariot, including the exploits of Agrippina and Cartimandua, in Good Morning Bloodstock last year.

“We had to put Cartimandua to sleep last week following the sudden onset of a neurological condition,” said Brent Williams at the weekend. “She was only 22 and just beginning the second year of her retirement and her new role as our paddock nanny.

“She was an excellent racemare. Her highest rating was 106 but we suspect that it could have been higher had she not been interrupted by a colic and knee fractures. She produced multiple winners, including the black-type performer Elronaq for Sheikh Hamdan. 

“More than anything, though, she was just a wonderful mare and a great friend.”

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