Montjeu, sire of three Derby winners, dies aged 16

RACING:MONTJEU, the sire of three Epsom Derby winners, has died aged 16 after a short illness.

Winner of six Group One races on the track, the stallion developed into one of the world’s leading sires for Coolmore, producing numerous top-class runners.

A statement from Coolmore yesterday said Montjeu died: “after a short illness which was due to complications from an overwhelming septicaemia.”

Montjeu retired to stud at the end of 2000 after a career that saw him land the 1999 French and Irish Derbies, as well as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. He was also a winner of the 2000 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Coolmore’s statement continued: “The sire of three Epsom Derby winners, including last year’s brilliant winner Pour Moi, as well as Camelot, the favourite for this year’s edition, Montjeu was one of the best stallions in the world and in 2011 he sired 15 individual Group/Graded winners in the Northern Hemisphere, which was the equal of Galileo. Montjeu will best be remembered for his incredible wins in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes as well as his runaway victories in the French and Irish Derbies.”

Motivator became a first Derby winner for Montjeu when landing the Epsom Classic in 2005, while Authorized followed up two years later. French raider Pour Moi won in 2011.

Montjeu has provided a stream of Group One winners for the Coolmore team of John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, in whose colours he raced. Other Group One-winning progeny in Europe include 2005 Irish Derby winner Hurricane Run. His stud fee was €125,000 in 2008.