'He'll be a big loss' - Coolmore's Zoffany euthanised due to liver failure at 13

Zoffany, a Group 1 winner on the track, and sire of last season's National Stakes hero Thunder Moon, has been euthanised aged 13 owing to liver failure.

The son of Dansili - winner of the Phoenix Stakes at two and a three-quarter length second to the mighty Frankel in the St James's Palace Stakes at three - has sired 20 individual Group winners and 18 further Listed scorers to date.

He was set to stand his tenth consecutive season for Coolmore, whose David O'Loughlin said: “Zoffany was a great servant and he’ll be a big loss."

His first crop, which were conceived at a fee of €7,500, included no fewer than three Royal Ascot winners in Norfolk Stakes scorer Waterloo Bridge, Albany victress Illuminate and Windsor Castle winner Washington DC.

Thunder Moon: Group 1-winning juvenile for ZoffanyCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Zoffany has sired three individual top-level winners in Albigna, who struck in the Prix Marcel Boussac, Gran Premio del Jockey Club hero Ventura Storm, and last year's National Stakes hero Thunder Moon, who is prominent in the market for this year's 2,000 Guineas.

He had also been responsible for last season's Group 3 Naas winner and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-up Mother Earth, and Marble Hill Stakes winner Minaun.

A 220,000gns purchase as a yearling from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when consigned by Croom House Stud, Zoffany won five of 13 starts for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners.

He won his first two outings at two and subsequently struck in the Listed Golden Fleece and Group 3 Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown before his Phoenix Stakes success.

Zoffany did not win at three but gave Frankel the biggest scare of his career at the top-level when running him close in the St James's Palace, while he also filled the runner-up spot in the Prix Jean Prat.

Zoffany stood for a career-high €45,000 in 2016 and was due to stand the upcoming season for €20,000. His 2020 yearlings sold for up to 580,000gns, with a filly bred by James Cloney of Cn Farm bought for that amount by MV Magnier from consignors Highclere Stud.

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