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Spectrum has reaffirmed his position as a world leading sire following the stunning victory by his classic winner Golan in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on July 27.

Golan became the first horse to win the UK’s premier weight-for-age event at his first start for the season.

The win was surrounded by emotion as the Sir Michael Stoute-trained four-year-old raced for the estate of Lord Weinstock, the famous UK owner and breeder who died last week at the age of 77.

Stoute summed up the victory succinctly:

“Lord Weinstock would have loved this occasion because he fell in love with this horse,” Stoute said.

“This is a tribute to him as this is what he stood for -- breeding top-class horses for the great European races." 

Golan was bred at Lord Weinstock’s Ballymacoll Srud in Ireland from the Generous mare Highland Gift.

He became Spectrum’s first classic winner when he won last year's 2000 Guineas at Newmarket before finishing second to Galileo in the Epsom Derby.

He also ran third in the Irish Derby and won the G2 Prix Neil at Longchamp before running fourth to Sakhee in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He had not raced since finishing sixth in the Japan Cup last November.

His stunning last to first victory in the King George is another bonus for Coolmore Stud as the breeding giant purchased the rights to the young stallion after he won the 2000 Guineas.

Australia’s Yarraman Park Stud will also benefit from Golan’s triumph as the Hunter Valley stud will again stand Spectrum for another southern hemisphere season this spring.

Spectrum’s first Australian runners are only three and include the G1 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Spectatorial and G1 C.F. Orr Stakes winner Barkada. His other stakes performers n Australia include Vignette and Centella.

His northern hemisphere progeny also include the outstanding juvenile stakeswinnerr Hemingway and recent Royal Ascot G3 winner Just James. He also has produced Group winners in Ireland and the US and only last month had five winners in a week in England and Ireland.

Spectrum, by Rainbow Quest, won the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and G1 Dubai Champion Stakes as a three-year-old and is proving highly popular with Australian breeders as he offers an outcross from the dominant Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector sire lines.

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