Ebony Flyer, a triple Grade 1 winner from 6 to 8 furlongs in South Africa racing for Team Valor International and Mrs. Gaynor Rupert, was euthanized today at Rossdale's equine hospital in Newmarket, England. She had a difficult delivery on February 4, after which the mare and her Bradsell filly foal were moved to the clinic. The foal is doing fine and earlier in the week was returned to the farm and placed on a nurse mare.
Bred in the Western Cape by W. J. Engelbrecht Jr., Ebony Flyer and her dam were bought privately after her 3-year-old sister Captain's Lover struck TVI CEO Barry Irwin as a viable prospect for the Cape Fillies Guineas. Irwin, who had bought Captain's Lover as a yearling, struck gold, as not only did Captain's Lover win the Guineas, but Ebony Flyer followed suit, thereby providing their dam Sunshine Lover with the rare distinction of producing a pair of Classic winners of the same race.
Ebony Flyer at maturity stood at least 17hh 1 inch, yet she was speedy enough to win over 1000 meters on debut as a 2-year-old in May at Kenilworth for Justin Snaith, in the process taking a notable scalp in the subsequent Grade 1-winning Covenant.
After the Jet Master daughter made the Grade 2 Odessa Stud Championship her third win in as many starts, Gaynor Rupert acquired a one-third interest in the filly, which captured the Grade 1 Guineas in her next start.
Unfortunately the filly developed breathing issues which required no less than three surgeries. Yet she came back to capture the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint and the Grade 1 Majorca.
Ebony Flyer in 13 career starts won 8 races, 6 of them stakes and placed 3 times.
Irwin said "We have raced Champion females around the globe including in England and Ireland, but the only other filly we had in her league was Ipi Tombe. Had she been able to breathe, there is no telling how good she would have become or how far she would have raced."
As a producer, the mare foaled 7 winners from 9 to race, two black-type runners in South Africa in Grade 3-placed Cot Campbell and Listed-placed Black Silver. She is the dam of trio of winners in England for Andrew Balding.
Barry Irwin and Gaynor Rupert had decided to pension the mare after her current foaling.
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