Stable Star Astaire Will Be Remembered

He took owners Peter Tingey and Angie Bailey to all the big meetings running some huge races and delivering them with their first ever Group 1 win but sadly Astaire passed away on Sunday evening due to colic. Having first shown signs on Saturday he was sent to the vets but the situation deteriorated and despite the best efforts of all involved Astaire passed away.

The son of Intense Focus was purchased for £70,000 at the Kempton breeze-up from Grove Stud after turning in a fantastic breeze. From day one there was something special there and Kevin had high hopes for his new purchase. The Knavesmire has been kind to Kevin and despite coming up against 14 rivals, Astaire made a winning debut at York, stretching clear and showing the racing world what he had been doing at home. Next up was the July stakes but after missing bit of training he just got tired in the latter stages. A return to Newmarket gave Astaire his second victory with a comfortable victory in a conditions event. Better was to come, something Pete and Ange couldn’t have dreamt of.

The Gimcrack is a race steeped in history and one that Kevin, Pete and Ange all wanted to win. In 2013 they found a horse capable of taking them to York. It was a classy, brave and impressive display as Astaire jumped out, made all and battled his way to a Group 2 win and set the champagne corks flying and tears flowing. The celebrations went long into the night but yet again better was to come.

Amadeus Wolf had provided Kevin with a Gimcrack-Middle Park double in 2005 and Astaire was bidding to do the same. Neil Callan had guided him to two of his wins and once again was on board, flying back specially from Hong Kong. They were a match made in heaven and once again Astaire bounded to the front and would not relinquish his lead to anyone. Travelling into the dip he was cruising then when Callan asked he responded, kicking clear up the hill. The biggest challenge came from his stable mate Hot Streak and the settled down for a ding dong battle in the last furlong. Everyone found out that day that you won’t find a tougher horse in training as Astaire battled out, finding more and winning a Group 1 by 1/2 length.

The Guineas was always the plan as a 3 year old but after running a big race, but not staying the 7f in the Greenham it was a transition back to sprinting. His beloved York was on the cards and despite going down 1/2 length in the Duke Of York he had shown that he was a sprinter to be reckoned with. Unfortunately Astaire couldn’t quite match that form for the rest of the season.

This year he came back looking better than ever and he proved it on the track. Second in the Cammidge he then went one better to secure the Group 3 Abernant. Again he showed his battling traits, jumping well, travelling strongly and then repelling all challengers. He then went on to do the same at Royal Ascot in the Group 1 Golden Jubilee, only this time he couldn’t quite hang on but ran a massive race to finish a close third in one of the world’s best sprint races.

All thoughts go out to Pete and Angie as Astaire truly was a horse of a lifetime. He will be sorely missed at Hambleton Lodge but hopefully a couple of winners at next weeks Ebor meeting would be an apt tribute to a horse who loved York. There are plenty of people who worked and helped him throughout his career with Grove Stud who prepared him for the sale, Brian O’Rourke and his staff at the National Stud who looked after him on his holidays, all the racing fans who sent their congratulations for every run he had and all the staff at Hambleton Lodge. Most importantly though is the staff at Rainbow Vets in Malton who worked tirelessly to try and save him but also ensured that he didn’t suffer.