Vale Battle Paint

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Chequers Stud have reported the death of their resident sire Battle Paint, with the son of Tale of the Cat humanely euthanised on Tuesday after a battle with colic.

The winner of three races in Europe, Battle Paint was runner-up to Holy Roman Emperor in the Gr.1 Grand Criterium (1400m) as a two-year-old.

He went on to become a more than useful addition to New Zealand’s stallion ranks, as the sire of seven stakes performers headed by Group Two winner Battle Time and star Singapore galloper Affleck.

“He was a very good horse for the farm,” Chequers Stud’s Mark Fraser-Campin said.

“He sired a horse like Affleck who was Champion Two and Three-Year-Old in Singapore and a number of breeders in New Zealand did quite well out of breeding to Battle Paint, who was relatively popular as a sire of trade horses.”

“Even over the lockdown period his son Strike Force, who was unbeaten in two starts for Danny Crozier, has been sold to Hong Kong.”

The sire of 72 winners from 131 starters, Battle Paint’s offspring have also proved popular in the equestrian sphere.