Group 1 winner Pastoral Pursuits (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}-Star {GB}, by Most Welcome {GB}) passed away after covering a mare at Norton Grove Stud on Tuesday. The 2005 G1 July Cup winner was 20.
“It is with great sadness we have to say we lost Pastoral Pursuits yesterday,” Christina Pople, daughter of Richard and Maggie Lingwood of Norton Grove Stud, announced via Twitter. “Sadly, he died after covering a mare due to a rupture in a major vessel in his chest, a symptom of his age. We are all deeply saddened by his death. It will be a great loss to us. He was a lovely character.”
Bred by Red House Stud, the April foal was snapped up by trainer Hugh Morrison for 24,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2002. Under Morrison's tutelage Pastoral Pursuits would be named the English Highweighted Older Horse at 5-7 furlongs in 2005. Besides his July Cup win, the son of Star also saluted in the G3 Sirenia S. at two and the G2 Park S. at three. He retired with a record of 10-6-2-0 and $463,817 in earnings.
During his stallion career, Pastoral Pursuits spent 11 seasons at the National Stud (2006-2016), one season at Ladyswood & Snailwell Stud the next year and his final years (2018-2021) at Norton Grove Stud.
The full-brother to G1 William Hill Sprint Cup winner and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest second Goodricke (GB) has sired 13 black-type winners to date, led by G1 Commonwealth Cup third Ventura Rebel (GB), a winner of the G3 Renaissance S. at The Curragh and fellow group winners Pastoral Player (GB), Rose Blossom (GB) and Ipompieridiviggiu (Ity). As a broodmare sire, he has group winner Abel Handy (Ire) (Arcano {Arcano {Ire}}), as well as a trio of stakes-placed runners, among them G1 Prix Morny third Rhythm Master (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).
A half-sister to Pastoral Pursuit has already thrown GII San Gabriel S. hero Desert Stone (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and the SW Handassa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), with the latter the dam of European highweight Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a winner of both the G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. and the G1 Falmouth S.
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