RACING FORUM

Posted: **Sat Oct 15, 2016 2:58 am**

10-time G1 winner Octagonal, Australia’s Horse of the Year in 1996, was euthanised at Godolphin Woodlands this morning. Aged 24, The Big O (stable name Roy) as he was affectionately known, was still bright and alert mentally but was struggling physically.

Octagonal was bred at Cambridge Stud in New Zealand and was from the first crop of Champion sire Zabeel. Purchased by Jack and Bob Ingham, he was trained for his entire career by John Hawkes at their headquarters Crown Lodge.

Next Saturday marks the 21st anniversary of Octagonal’s stirring victory as a three-year-old in the G1 Cox Plate. The following autumn he won the three-year-old Triple Crown of the Canterbury Guineas, Rosehill Guineas and Australian Derby plus the Mercedes Stakes -- he won four Group 1 races within a five week period. He had finished second in the Golden Slipper Stakes as a 2yo.

Octagonal quickly developed a cult following and was revered for his ability to continually prevail in close finishes. As a five-year-old, he recorded his 10th G1 win in the Mercedes Classic, a victory that saw him become the highest-earning horse in Australian racing history at the time.

Retired to stud in 1997, Octagonal made the perfect start to his new career, siring Horse of the Year Lonhro in his first crop. An 11-time G1 winner, Lonhro is the only Australian Horse of the Year to go on and become a Champion stallion.

John Sunderland, General Manager at Woodlands said, “It is a sad day as Octagonal is an old favourite of everyone and he will be sorely missed. He was such a lovely horse to deal with and such a big part of Woodlands.”

Octagonal will be buried at Woodlands, where he has spent the majority of the past 16 years, alongside his old mate Canny Lad.