Death of Notnowcato, three-time Group 1 winner and dual-purpose sire, at 17

Notnowcato, a three-time Group 1 winner for Sir Michael Stoute, died of a heart attack while covering a mare at Knockhouse Stud in County Kilkenny late in this year's breeding season, it has emerged. The son of Inchinor was 17.

The stud's Sean Kinsella reported: “He had been hale and hearty and had shown no signs of illness while here, but he just dropped dead in the breeding shed.

“He was a lovely horse to deal with, with a great attitude, and from what we have seen of his young stock they have inherited those attributes. It's a real pity to have lost him at such a relatively young age.”

Notnowcato was bred by Sir Evelyn de Rothschild from his Listed-winning Cadeaux Genereux mare Rambling Rose and raced in the name of Sir Evelyn's sons Anthony and David.

He was sent out by Stoute to win seven of his 20 starts, progressing through handicap company at three and collecting his first Group 1 laurels at four, when he defeated Maraahel by a short head in the Juddmonte International.

Notnowcato really came to the boil at five when he became something of a giant killer, claiming the scalp of long odds-on shot Dylan Thomas to win the Tattersalls Gold Cup and defeating Authorized and George Washington when ploughing a lone furrow up the stands' side rail under an enterprising ride by Ryan Moore to land the Coral-Eclipse.

Upon retirement the chestnut followed his sire Inchinor into Stanley House Stud in Newmarket and spent six years there before being switched to jumps stallion duty at Knockhouse Stud.

Notnowcato's most notable progeny on the Flat are Redkirk Warrior, a three-time Group 1-winning sprinter in Australia, Custom Cut, a durable multiple Group 2 scorer, and stakes winners Chil The Kite, Thanksfortellingme and Waila.

Over jumps he has been represented by the ill-fated dual Grade 1-winning novice hurdler Long Dog and the classy hurdler Old Guard.

His first crop conceived at Knockhouse Stud are four years old and include Largy Fix, a four-length winner for Stuart Crawford between the flags at Loughanmore in May and subsequently sold to Mags O'Toole for £170,000 at Cheltenham.

Notnowcato is recorded by Weatherbys as having covered 18 mares this year, 85 in 2018 and 88 in 2017.

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