Written by Paul Vettise
The fickle nature of the breeding and racing industry has again been highlighted by the death of Aquis Farm’s promising young stallion Spill The Beans.
After siring his first winner last Sunday, he died at the operation’s Queensland property on Friday morning.
Spill The Beans
The Roy Chillemi-trained Tennessee Boy was successful on debut at Townsville and the colt was just Spill The Beans’ fourth race day representative after placings from sons Tumbler Ridge and Molongle Drifter.
Way Beyond, who is prepared by Stuart Kendrick, will be the stallion’s first metropolitan representative when he steps out at Eagle Farm.
“It is all a bit raw at the moment and we will have extensive tests done to determine the reason,” Aquis Chief Executive Officer Shane McGrath said. “We had high hopes for him. His first crop to race is already showing a heap of ability.
“It’s always devastating to lose a stallion, but with Spill The Beans we felt we had something very special.
“It’s always devastating to lose a stallion, but with Spill The Beans we felt we had something very special.” – Shane McGrath
“As one of the first stallions secured to stand at Aquis, he had a special place in the hearts of the entire team and my condolences go out to Mr Fung and his family and all our team that have worked with him.”
Trained by Gerald Ryan and raced by an ownership group that included Arrowfield Stud, Spill The Beans was a quality son of champion stallion Snitzel who won five of his 11 starts, including the G2 QTC Cup, the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas and the G3 Eskimo Prince S., in which he beat subsequent G1 Randwick Guineas winner Le Romain (Hard Spun {USA}).
He was out of the Falbrav (Ire) mare Miss Dodwell and as a half-brother to the G1 Brisbane Cup and G1 Queen of the Turf S. winner Kenedna (Not A Single Doubt) looked to have an exciting stallion career ahead of him.
He had already covered a large portion of his current book of mares in what was his fourth and pre-maturely last season at stud.
