Emerging jumps sire Vision D'Etat dies at the age of 13

The French stallion ranks are mourning the loss of another of their stallions after Haras de Cercy announced that its sire Vision D'Etat has died at the age of 13 after suffering a fatal heart attack on Sunday morning.

Vision D'Etat, who was bred by Gaetan Gilles out of the winning Garde Royale mare Uberaba, was purchased by his trainer Eric Libaud for €39,000 at the Arqana December Yearling Sale in 2006.

Unbeaten as a juvenile for Libaud, Vision D'Etat continued where he left off at three winning four consecutive races including the Listed Prix de Suresnes, Prix du Jockey Club - the first of his top-level successes - and the Group 2 Prix Niel.

At four he added to his Group 1 tally when taking out the Prix Ganay, the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Hong Kong Cup on his final start of that season in 2009. As a five-year-old he added the Group 3 Prix Gontaut-Biron to his black-type victories and also finished second behind Twice Over in the 2010 Champion Stakes.

The son of Chichicastenango was retired to Haras de Grandcamp and spent six seasons at the Normandy operation before transferring to Haras de Treban for the 2017 breeding season.

Last year it was announced that Vision D'Etat was to join Haras de Cercy's roster in 2018, a decision that was taken by his co-owners Victoria Libaud and Jacques Detre on the back of his Grade 1-winning daughter De Bon Coeur emerging as one of France's exciting young hurdlers.

His best performer on the Flat is the Ian Williams-trained Speedo Boy who achieved his highest RPR of 104 when landing the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault in March 2017.

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