Turf star, Kazzia dies at 14

Sheikh Mohammed's Darley breeding operation has lost one of its pearls after the death of 1,000 Guineas and Oaks heroine Kazzia.

The daughter of Zinaad died on Sunday from post-foaling complications after delivering a Dubawi filly at Dalham Hall Stud in Nemarket. She was 14. The foal has been placed with a foster mare and is doing well.

Kazzia began her racing career in her native Germany with Andreas Wohler, for whom she won a maiden at Hoppegarten and the Group 3 Premio Dormello at San Siro.

Those runs caught the eye of Sheikh Mohammed and at the end of her juvenile season she was privately purchased to run for Godolphin.

On her first start carrying the royal blue silks Kazzia landed the 1,000 Guineas under Frankie Dettori - becoming the first German-bred horse to win a British Classic in the process.

Next time out she made all the running to defeat Quarter Moon by half a length in the Oaks, with the pair pulling 14 lengths clear of the third. She is the only filly since Salsabil in 1990 to win both Classics.

After finishing fourth in the Yorkshire Oaks, Kazzia notched another front-running victory in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes at Belmont and she signed off her career by finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.