Lammtarra, European champion and pensioned sire, dies at age 22

Lammtarra, a European champion and pensioned stallion, died July 6 at Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum’s Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket, England, according to a release on Godolphin’s website. He was 22.

The son of English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky II was bred in Kentucky by Gainsborough Farm. All four of his wins came in stakes, three of those in Group 1 competition. Lammtarra won the listed Washington Singer stakes as a 2-year-old for trainer Alex Scott, and following Scott's death he was campaigned by Saeed Maktoum al-Maktoum, nephew of Sheikh Mohammed, and trained by Saeed bin Suroor. For those connections, Lammtarra won the Epsom Derby and King George and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes in England, and then shipped to France to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The campaign was good enough to earn Lammtarra the European champion 3-year-old colt title in 1995.

"I was very sad to hear of the passing of Lammtarra. He was a true champion and of the best horses that I have trained,” Saeed bin Suroor said. “His victories in the Derby, King George, and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe were exceptional and he will be remembered as an outstanding horse for generations to come."

After his retirement, Lammtarra began his stallion career at Dalham Hall Stud, and he was later sold to stand in Japan. He was bought back by Sheikh Mohammed in 2006 to live as a pensioner at Dalham Hall.

Lammtarra sired 11 crops at stud, highlighted by Japanese Group 3 winners Meisho Ramses and Maruka Senryo, and English Group 3 winner and French classic-placed Simeon.