By Emma Berry
A day after his daughter Tamfana (Ger) was beaten just a length in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, leading German sire Soldier Hollow (GB) has died at the age of 24. The stallion's death was announced on social media by his owner Helmut von Finck of Gestut Park Wiedingen.
He said, “Soldier Hollow the horse of my life…You were my hero, my life and infinitely more. Rest in peace, I'm lost for words today but I'll carry you in my heart forever.”
Bred in England by Car Colston Hall Stud, the diminutive son of In The Wings (GB) and the Common Grounds (GB) mare Island Race (GB) was bought by von Finck as a yearling at Tattersalls for 75,000gns. Sent into training with Peter Schiergen, Soldier Hollow became an unbeaten champion two-year-old in Germany but was forced to miss the following year's Deutsches Derby when struck down by a bout of colitis after finishing fourth in the G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2,000 Guineas). He came into his own at four and beyond, racing until he was seven, with his 12 victories including four Group 1 wins in Germany and Italy. He also beat subsequent Horse of the Year Manduro (Ger) to win the G2 Prix Dollar at Longchamp.
Retired initially to stand at Gestut Rottgen before moving to Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke's Gestut Auenquelle, Soldier Hollow was the champion first-season sire in Germany in 2011 and has been German champion sire on three occasions. His best offspring include the G1 Deutsches Derby winners Pastorius (Ger) and Weltstar (Ger), as well as Group 1 winners Ivanhowe (Ger) and Dschingis Secret (Ger). Soldier Hollow also features as the broodmare sire of von Finck's homebred 2022 Deutsches Derby winner Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).
In an interview with TDN in 2021, the owner-breeder recalled seeing Soldier Hollow for the first time. Von Finck said, “I was looking for a horse who would get the distance. My favourite horses are middle-distance or long-distance horses, and I found two sons of In The Wings. One was very big and one was quite small. Everybody told me I should buy the big one because he was so beautiful, but I fell in love with the small one because he was well proportioned and looked strong. He was very typical of the Northern Dancer line and I have always liked Northern Dancer.
“Soldier Hollow has done everything I could have dreamed about, as a racehorse and as a stallion. Last year he had 20 stakes horses and 11 stakes winners. It's a pleasure for me to follow every horse by Soldier Hollow with all my heart. He is my pride, the horse of my life.”
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