Istabraq, the horse bred to win the Derby that instead became perhaps the finest hurdler of the modern era, has died at the venerable age of 32.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien to win a hat-trick of Champion Hurdles at Cheltenham (1998-2000) he spent more than two decades of retirement at his owner JP McManus’s Martinstown Stud in Co Limerick, where he passed away in the early hours of Thursday morning.
“He was a very special horse who gave us many great days of fun and enjoyment,” McManus said. “He leaves Noreen, myself, and the family with wonderful memories.”
Istabraq celebrated his official 32nd birthday at Martinstown on May 23rd with a large group of connections. They included Charlie Swan, who rode the horse in all 29 of his races over jumps. The partnership won 23 of them.
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“It’s a sad day but I suppose he had a great innings,” Swan said. “He was 32 and he was looked after like a king at Martinstown, as he deserved. I had some great days and I suppose winning the third Champion Hurdle is the one that sticks out. It hadn’t been done many times and that was a special day.
Istabraq was just the fifth horse to land a hat-trick of Champion Hurdle victories. A unique fourth success looked like being a formality in 2001 only for the Cheltenham Festival to be cancelled due to foot and mouth. When he tried again a year later, he was a shadow of his former self and was quickly pulled up and retired.
The respected Timeform firm gave Istabraq its second highest ever rating for a hurdler on 180, alongside another legendary Irish star Monksfield. Night Nurse remains their top-rated on a mark of 182.
It was an unlikely route to fame for the son of Sadler’s Wells out of the mare Bettys Secret, a pedigree that made him a three-parts brother to the 1984 Epsom Derby winner Secreto.
He didn’t live up to that standard on the flat and won just two of his 11 starts. He was bought for £38,000 by McManus, who planned to put him in training with the late John Durkan.
Tragically, the Irishman died in January 1998 after getting Leukaemia just months after getting the horse.
Transferred to O’Brien, who was beginning his record-breaking career on the flat at Ballydoyle, Istabraq was beaten on his debut over hurdles in November 1996 but progressed to win at novice level in Cheltenham that season.
“His jumping was so good. He was so quick to get his front legs out and was very accurate. He obviously had loads of speed, but he stayed well, and he jumped. He had everything really,” Swan added.
As well as his Champion Hurdle hat-trick at Cheltenham, Istabraq landed the Irish version at Leopardstown four times. He won at Grade One level on 14 occasions, including the 1999 Aintree Hurdle.
