Sad News from Armidale Stud

Tara Madgwick - Monday October 28

Armidale Stud is deeply saddened to announce the passing of White Gold, most famously known for being the dam of Group 1 winner Mystic Journey.  White Gold was humanely euthanised last Tuesday morning at the age of 17 after suffering a broken leg she sustained when recovering from a cesarean. 

White Gold pictured with Mystic Journey as a foal"We are absolutely shattered", said Armidale Stud's principal David Whishaw.   

"We agreed with White Gold's owners that it would be best that we break the news following the running of the Cox Plate, it's been a tough week for everyone involved to stay the least.

"She was a beautiful natured mare, a pleasure to do anything with and we are so grateful for all that she has done for the Tasmanian Breeding and Racing Industry."   

White Gold is widely known through the feats of her daughter Mystic Journey (Needs Further), but is also the dam of Caulfield winner of 7  Leodoro (Jayemzed), winner Gold Phoenix (Jayemzed) and granddam of  multiple Stakes winner Mystical Pursuit (Needs Further).

"White Gold's owners Ralph and Peta Zito, and Joe and Rhonda Cichello have been wonderful supporters, friends and ambassadors of the Tasmanian Industry and we are absolutely gutted for them that their mare has been lost in the prime of her career," Whishaw concluded. 

Advertisement

White Gold's legacy  will no doubt carry on, not only through Mystic Journey and her unraced 3YO Full sister Emerald Crown, but also through Oh So Gold and Gold Phoenix who have been retained to breed from by Zito and his astute breeding syndicate.  

White Gold has been buried Standing Up facing the rising sun, looking down over the Foaling Yards and Stud at Armidale where she has made an enormous impact and called home for the majority of her breeding life.

RIP White Gold

News from Armidale Stud

Advertisment
More Reading...
Early Return Home for Cogburn
Group I winning Not This Time son Cogburn (USA) will return to WinStar Farm in Kentucky earlier than planned after disappointing fertility results during his first Australian covering season at Widden Stud.
Wootton Bassett Colt Leads Coolmore G1 Trifecta
The last British Group I race of the flat season was run overnight at Doncaster with Aidan O’Brien producing a trifecta of two year-old colts led by a son of the late Wootton Bassett (GB) in Hawk Mountain, who was too good for a pair of Frankel colts.
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
Invincible Colt Wins $1million G2 Callander Presnell for Godolphin
Progressive I Am Invincible colt Ohope won the $1million ATC Tapp Craig (1400m) at his previous start, however was not rewarded officially with Black Type for that result, but he did achieve stakes-winner status at Randwick on Saturday when scoring a determined win over quality colt Rivellino in the $1million ATC Callander Presnell (1600m).
2025 Cox Plate Result - Fastnet Rock and Waller Quinella
A genuine champion sire should be able to produce the horses that win the very best races in the country in which they stand and the late great Fastnet Rock have us a demonstration of that when his high class Northern Hemisphere bred offspring Via Sistina (IRE) and Buckaroo (GB) fought out an epic finish to the $6million Group I MVRC WS Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Pedigree Watch - Powerhouse Godolphin 3YOs Dominate
The current crop of three year-olds running for Godolphin lay claim to being the best they have ever produced in Australia and three of those colts won Group races in Australia on Saturday so let’s take a look at those pedigrees.
Stefi Magnetica Smashes Through $7m Mark
Already a dual Group1 winner, Bjorn Baker’s 5yo All Too Hard mare Stefi Magnetica added the $2m Group 2 ATC The Invitational (1400m) to her impressive record, with her earnings smashing through the $7m mark for her ownership group headed by the Cunningham family.
Te Akau Win G3 War Decree Stakes with Snitzel Filly
Te Akau Racing made a blistering start to the afternoon across both New Zealand meetings on Saturday, racking up six wins in a three-hour period including with a pair of potential candidates for next month’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.