A REAL globetrotter, Soldier Of Fortune was a runaway nine-length winner of the Group 1 Irish Derby in 2007 and since then this son of Galileo has been a very successful sire. He has chalked up winners of over 500 races in South America, with at least six group stars in Brazil and four in Chile.
When Soldier Of Fortune was based in Europe he stood in France for several years and sired winners of 330 races and over £4,500,000, including several stakes winners over the jumps at Auteuil, as well as Lady Paname, successful in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct.
Meanwhile he was also making a name for himself in Ireland, with Early Doors scoring in the Grade 1 Galway Plate Chase, while Slowmotion and Tin Soldier were graded winners over hurdles. In England, Mega Fortune carried off the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle.
So in 2016 Coolmore added him to their collection of top-class National Hunt stallions and sent him to The Beeches Stud. His first Irish sons made prices up to €100,000 in 2020.
Racing in Ireland as a two-year-old, Soldier Of Fortune won at Navan and was second in his other two starts, including the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud.
He started the next season by scoring in the Group 2 Prix Noailles at Longchamp, followed by carrying top weight to victory in the Group 3 Chester Vase. Those wins made him one of Aidan O’Brien’s team for the Group 1 Epsom Derby and he was a close fifth to Authorized.
The next outing for Soldier of Fortune was the Group 1 Irish Derby and he really appreciated the soft ground that day, drawing steadily away from his stablemates to win by an astonishing nine lengths. In September he returned to Longchamp to win the Group 2 Prix Niel by a length and a half, setting a new record time for this event, and he ended a tremendous season with a close fifth to Dylan Thomas in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with Authorized behind him.
Making his reappearance at four in the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom, Soldier Of Fortune won by three quarters of a length from Youmzain. However Youmzain took his revenge by half a length in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and then they were second and third in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Soldier Of Fortune ended his brilliant career with fourth to Conduit in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita, taking his earnings to £1,341,073.
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (IRE), Bay or Brown 2004. 2nd top rated 3yr old in Europe in 2007. Champion 3yr old in Ireland in 2007. Won six races, £1,341,073, from 1 mile to 1 mile 4½ furlongs, 2 to 4 years including, Budweiser Irish Derby, Curragh, Gr.1, Juddmonte Coronation Cup, Epsom Downs, Gr.1, Prix Niel Casino Barriere d’Enghien, Longchamp, Gr.2, Prix Noailles, Longchamp, Gr.2, MBNA Europe Bank Chester Vase, Chester, Gr.3, also placed second in Criterium de Saint-Cloud, Saint-Cloud, Gr.1, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Saint-Cloud, Gr.1, and third in Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Longchamp, Gr.1.
Retired to Stud in 2010, and sire of the winners of 875 races, and £9,274,444 including OLYMPIC HOLLYWOOD (BRZ), OR NOIR (BRZ), GLORIOSO CAMPEON (CHI), JADIR (BRZ), NIETA QUERIDA (CHI), REY DEL ROCK (CHI), EL ARMENIO (CHI), RASGADO DE BIRIGUI (BRZ), FORTUNE DANZ (BRZ), LADY PANAME (FR), ZAP ZAP (BRZ), ALLONS Y (FR), BUSYBEINGFABULOUS (FR), CASHMAN (FR), FORTUNIQUE (FR), AMIE NOIRE (GER), BOKAN (FR), SHUTTERBUG (FR), FIRE FIGHTING (IRE), and sire of the winners of 155 races, and £3,825,865 under N.H. Rules, including COQUELICOT (FR), EARLY DOORS (FR), LADY ARDILAUN (FR), ANGEL’S SHARE (FR), BLACK LUNA (FR), MEGA FORTUNE (FR), FLYING TIGER (IRE), SLOWMOTION (FR), TIN SOLDIER (FR), CARLITA DU BERLAIS (FR)
Stands at: The Beeches Stud, Lismore, Co Waterford, Ireland
Contact: Robert McCarthy or Peter Kenneally
Telephone: (353) 58 56254
Email: thebeechesstud@outlook.com
Web: www.coolmore.com
Fee: €8,000