Cheveley Park Stud Medicean Dies at 21

Medicean, a stalwart of the Cheveley Park Stud stallion roster for 16 years until his retirement last August, died after suffering a suspected heart attack. The son of Machiavellian was 21.

In a tribute to Medicean, Cheveley Park Stud managing director Chris Richardson said: "From the day he was born, Medicean was the most wonderfully kind horse, with a spectacular walk.

"His win in the Eclipse was a highlight for owner/breeders Mr and Mrs Thompson, being one of their favorite races. His progeny have excelled at the highest level, and I'm sure his legacy will be influential for years to come."

Medicean was bred by Cheveley Park out of the listed-winning Storm Bird mare Mystic Goddess, whose own dam, Rose Goddess, joined the stud's broodmare band after being bought by David Minton for $450,000 from the Keeneland November Sale in 1988.

Medicean entered training with Sir Michael Stoute and made his debut when third in the Wood Ditton Stakes at Newmarket at 3. He improved rapidly throughout the season, winning his next two starts before finishing a close third behind Giant's Causeway in the St. James's Palace Stakes (G1). After an abortive effort as favorite in the 41st John Smith's Cup, he filled third position behind Giant's Causeway again in the Champagne Lanson Sussex Stakes (G1) and landed the Celebration Mile (G2) before taking fourth in the famous Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) in which Observatory took the scalp of Giant's Causeway.

It was at 4 when Medicean really flourished, notching victories in the Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes (G1), Queen Anne Stakes (G2), and Coral Eurobet Eclipse Stakes (G1), and signing off with a third to Sakhee in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1).

Medicean retired to Cheveley Park at a fee of £15,000 for 2002 and experienced mixed results as a stallion, standing for as much as £30,000 in 2007 and 2008 but priced at £6,000 to £8,000 between 2015 and 2017.

He has supplied 45 black-type winners, 10 of whom struck at the grade/group 1 level—Al Shemali (Dubai Duty Free Sponsored by Dubai Duty Free), Almerita (Henkel Preis der Diana Deutsches Stutenderby-German Oaks), Bayrir (Secretariat Stakes), Capponi (Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Sponsored by Emirates), Chevron (Raffles Cup), Dutch Art (Darley Prix Morny and Shadwell Middle Park Stakes), Mr Medici (Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup), Nannina (Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile and Coronation Stakes), Neatico (Grosser Dallmayr-Pries-Bayerisches Zuchtrennen), and Siyouma (Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes and E.P. Taylor Stakes).

Other notable runners by Medicean include Bankable, Manieree, Medicean Man, Mince, Panama Hat, and Sapphire, while his flat-bred son Melon has emerged as a star of the hurdling scene, finishing a neck second in the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham in March.

Medicean has also made his mark as a broodmare sire, with his daughters having produced Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (G1) hero Shakeel and the classy sorts Duke of Firenze, Headway, Hey Jonesy, Local Time, and Regal Reality.

However, it will most likely be through Dutch Art that Medicean leaves his most significant legacy on the breed. His son, who also stands at Cheveley Park, is the source of group 1-winning sprinters and young sires Garswood and Slade Power and is also responsible for Caspar Netscher, Dutch Connection, and Lightning Thunder—not to mention this month's narrowly beaten Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) runner-up Mabs Cross.

Medicean spent his last year in retirement after being pensioned in 2017 due to declining fertility.