Hernando has died from a Heart Attack aged 23

HERNANDO, 1990 - 2013 

Twenty-three year old dual Group One and French Derby winner HERNANDO has died from a heart attack at Lanwades Stud, where he spent his entire very successful stud career.

Conceived at Lanwades, HERNANDO was by NINISKI, who, contrary to many observer's expectations, turned out to be the great NIJINSKY's best stallion son, being Champion First Season Sire in 1984, Leading British-based Sire (Worldwide), 1991 - 93 and siring the winners of well over 1,000 races, including 10 individual Group One winners.

HERNANDO, bred and raced by the Niarchos Family, was trained as a 2- to 4- year-old by the late Francois Boutin, and after the latter's death, as a 5-year-old by John Hammond.

HERNANDO won 7 of his 21 races, including the Prix Lupin (10f) and the French Derby, both Gr.1, the Gr.2 Prix Niel and the Prix Gontaut-Biron, Gr.3, twice; he was also second by a short head (to CARNEGIE) in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (for which he started favourite) as well as in the Irish Derby and the Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park. His winnings when retiring from racing were just short of $3 million, and he was the highest stakes-winning colt ever in Europe to that date.

Officially rated the Champion 3-year-old in France in 1993, HERNANDO went on to be the Joint Champion Older Horse in Europe and the USA in 1994.

At stud, HERNANDO surpassed all expectations, in spite of only once covering in excess of 80 mares in a breeding season; to date siring the winners of over 1,230 races and more than £21 million (€26m; $32m), including 6 individual Group 1 winners (to end 2012). HERNANDO was the leading British-based sire in Europe in 2002 and now has established sire sons of his own, most notably SULAMANI [sire of MASTERY, Italian Derby and English St Leger, also GOING SOMEWHERE (BRZ), won Gr.1 GP Carlos Pellegrini in 2012], HOLDING COURT (in Saudi Arabia) and GITANO HERNANDO (in South Africa).

HERNANDO sired two French Derby winners: HOLDING COURT and SULAMANI; also LOOK HERE (The Oaks), CASUAL CONQUEST (Gr.1 Tattersalls Gold Cup), GITANO HERNANDO (Gr.1 Singapore International Cup; Gr.1 Goodwood Stakes), RAINBOW PEAK (Gr.1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club) and other Group winners SAMANDO, ARVADA, MR COMBUSTIBLE, ALIANTHUS, HANAMI, HERBORISTE, ATLANDO, HARRIS TWEED, AKDARENA, INDIAN DAFFODIL, SONGERIE, ASIAN HEIGHTS, JUST WONDER and TAU CETI.

To date, HERNANDO is the sire of 78 lifetime 2-year-old winners and 250 lifetime 3-year-old winners.

HERNANDO's yearlings have made up to 400,000 guineas and in 2012, his yearling son out of OVAL OFFICE, bred by Lanwades and sold by Staffordstown, topped the Goffs Sportsman Sales when purchased by Stephen Hillen for €75,000 - he is now trained by David Simcock in Newmarket.

Now emerging also as a significant broodmare sire, HERNANDO leaves a number of daughters at stud around the world (including Group winners AKDARENA and SONGERIE at Lanwades).

"HERNANDO had been retired from his stud duties since the close of the 2011 stud season, and his final produce are now yearlings. He was a most charming character, always kind and co-operative, and he is very sadly missed by us all at Lanwades. I particularly wish to thank the horse's owner/breeders, the Niarchos family, for entrusting him to us at Lanwades, and to his devoted handler, Steve McKeown, who has looked after HERNANDO at Lanwades for 17 years" said Kirsten Rausing, owner of Lanwades Stud.

HERNANDO has been buried next to his stud companion, Champion racehorse and sire SELKIRK, at Lanwades.