Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Down Under Sire Astreos Dead

Down Under sire Astreos was found dead in his paddock at 7am, Tuesday, October 10th at Alabar Stud Farm in Pukekohe, New Zealand. Manager Graeme Henley said all at Alabar were stunned by the unexpected passing of the horse that had licked his feed bowl clean last night.

“Although Alabar did not hold any ownership of the horse, we are all extremely sorry for his Canadian owners Chris Christoforou (majority owner) who owned and trained him and his son Chris who drove him,’’ Henley said “He was a special horse to them, a great racehorse and just like one of the family.’’

Astreos, who won $1,062,594, the result of 10 wins and nine placings from 27 starts, came out of quarantine on 5 September and created a favourable impression when paraded at Alabar’s Open Day on 17 September.

“He also looked just as good and healthy yesterday and his unexpected death has really numbed us all _ it is so unbelievably disappointing all round,’’ manager Henley said. “He was only 10 and had stood a year for us in Victoria in 2002 and it had always been our wish to get him back for a few years.’’

An autopsy was schedule to establish the cause of death. Astreos' oldest foals are 4 Year Olds in 2006. To date he has produced 257 starters for earnings of $6,400,000, with 123 in 2:00, 36 in 1.55 and 13 $100,000 earners. Two of his fastest representatives have been Zooka (1:50.6) and Astronomical (1:50.8) who have won close to $1 million between them.