Swettenham Stud’s Sangster family lost a link with a golden era of racing following the death of Rodrigo De Triano.

The champion colt has succumbed to pneumonia in Japan aged 25.

Rodrigo de Triano was raced by family patriarch Robert Sangster and was foaled in the same year as Swettenham’s English Derby winner Dr Devious.

Trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam, the homebred son of El Gran Senor was a star two-year-old in 1991 going unbeaten in five races including the G1 Middle Park Stakes.

He was surprisingly defeated on his first start as a three-year-old in the Greenham Stakes before bouncing back to win the G1 English and Irish 2000 Guineas double under Lester Piggott.

Unplaced behind Dr Devious in the English Derby, he returned in style to win the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York and the G1 English Champion Stakes at Newmarket.

“He had a great turn of foot on fast ground,” Chapple-Hyam recalled.  “He was an easy horse to train and was good from the first time I worked him.

“It was very special to have two horses like Rodrigo De Triano and Dr Devious in one year.”

Sold to stand at JBBA Kyushu Stallion Station, he sired Erimo Excel (G1 Japanese Oaks) and Super Hornet (G2 Mainichi Okan).

In 1997-98, he shuttled to Glenmorgan Stud in New Zealand where the best of his progeny was G3 Cuddle Stakes winner Rodrigo Rose.

Rodrigo de Triano was among a long roll-call of classic winners to carry Swettenham’s colours joining the likes of Assert, Caerleon, Dr Devious, El Gran Senor, Golden Fleece, Law Society, Lomond, Prince of Birds, The Minstrel and Sadler’s Wells.

RODRIGO DE TRIANO