Simonsig's sire Fair Mix succumbs to the infirmities of old age

Fair Mix, whose first-crop son Simonsig won twice at the Cheltenham Festival, died recently due to the infirmities of old age.

His popular grey son won the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle and Arkle Chase, making him the only horse to complete that particular double.

Peter Hockenhull of Shade Oak Stud said: "The best happened for him early with Simonsig and sadly we were unable to repeat that later on.

"He's left a legacy with a lot of very nice horses around the country and I'm overwhelmed by the number of people who've got in touch on Facebook and said how much pleasure his progeny have been giving them."

Credit: Sara Ender / Facebook

The Jean-Luc Lagardere homebred won a three-year-old claiming race for Andre Fabre before switching to the care of Marcel Rolland, for whom his greatest performance was winning the Prix Ganay as a five-year-old by a cosy two and a half lengths.

At four Fair Mix won the Group 3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte over a straight 2,000 metres, a contest he would win again as a six-year-old.

Credit: Louise Nunn

Fair Mix, who died aged 20, spent the entirety of his stud career at Peter and Emma Hockenhull's Shade Oak Stud in Shropshire, where he retired in 2005.

Currently on the Shade Oak roster is Scorpion, whose leading son Might Bite was second to Native River in the Cheltenham Gold Cup before winning the Betfred Bowl in April.

Hardwicke Stakes scorer Dartmouth also stood his first season at the Shropshire stud this year.

"I'm really excited about Dartmouth," said Hockenhull. "He's about the only true stamina Dubawi out there. He settled in really well, has a fantastic temperament and nothing fazes him. He doesn't worry about anything.

"He'll have his first foals next spring, and I think when breeders see what he is capable of producing, he'll have a very strong season."

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