Boardsmill announces death of Grade 1 sire Califet

Boardsmill Stud is adjusting to being without a significant member of its strong National Hunt roster after announcing the death of Califet.

High class on the Flat and fourth in Marienbard's Arc, the French-bred son of Freedom Cry had been recruited by the Flood family and brought to County Meath in 2014.

His best progeny include Carriacou, who was partnered by Davy Russell to land the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, as well as decorated performers Clarcam, Cilaos Emery and Adrien Du Pont. Califet had been standing at a fee of €6,000 in recent years

"He'd have been 23 this year but he was a fresh horse and it was just a sudden thing," said John Flood. "It's a pity but he was an age, anyway.

"You think they're going to be around forever but they do get fairly old pretty quickly. It was late enough when we got him from France, he'd just turned 16. He'd done plenty, he was just going through a quiet spell, but his biggest crop had yet to run at that stage and just after we got him he had his first Grade 1. I think he had five in the end."

As jumps breeders are all aware, there is such a significant lag time in offspring making it to the track that Califet should have many more winners in absentia.

"His first Irish-breds are just turned six, they can never do it quickly enough these days, but he has plenty coming out in bumpers and point-to-points," Flood added.

Boardsmill still has Court Cave, Kalanisi and Poet's Word on its books.

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