Romanee Conti dies at Pencarrow Stud

Group 1 broodmare Romanee Conti (Sir Tristram) has died at Pencarrow Stud in New Zealand.  The 24 year-old mare had been pensioned in 2007.

Owned by Peter and Philip Vela, Romanee Conti was a G3 winner in NZ (Masterton Lowland Stakes), Australia (STC Queen of the Turf) and Hong Kong (HKJC International Cup).

By far the best of her 7 winners was 2001 Caulfield – Melbourne Cups heroine Ethereal (Rhythm).  Velvet and Satin (Carnegie) was G1 placed in the 2006 NZ 1000 Guineas while Le Bec Fin (Tale of the Cat) won on debut by six lengths at Taupo before injury forced him into a premature retirement.  He stood at Hallmark Stud.

Romanee Conti’s three-quarter sister Grand Echezeaux (Zabeel) was a G1 winner of the SAJC Australasian Oaks and her foals include champion racehorse and sire Darci Brahma (Danehill) and Cambridge Stud’s stakes winning newcomer Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice).