The Irish National Stud has announced the retirement of Invincible Spirit, the sire of 22 individual Group I winners worldwide, including leading European sire Kingman, and also in Australia he has had a profound influence as the sire of our reigning champion sire I Am Invincible.
Irish National Stud chief executive Cathal Beale said: "It has been a great privilege for all of us at Tully to have been here during the reign of Invincible Spirit.
"He has been, unquestionably, the greatest stallion to have ever stood at the Irish National Stud. We're delighted to be able to retire him now on his own terms.
"He'll live out his days being looked after by the same people, being turned out every day to the same paddock and being given the same exceptional care. He retires as a living legend.”
A Group I winning sprinter by Green Desert, he was retired to the Irish National Stud at an opening fee of €10,000 in 2003 and quickly proved a hit when landing the first season sires' title in 2006 to earn a fee increase to €35,000.
When Kingman came along to win multiple Group I races in 2014, his success contributed to his fee rising to €100,000 the following year, while it was increased further to €120,000 for the next four seasons.
Invincible Spirit had stood at a private fee for the past two years.
Aside from I Am Invincible, Invincible Spirit has sire sons Shalaa (IRE) and Royal Meeting (IRE) standing in Australia this spring, while another of his sons who shuttled here briefly in Territories (IRE) has two Northern Hemisphere bred runners in the $10million Golden Eagle in Lazzat (Fr) and Craig (GB).
