Three-time Group 1-winning three-year-old Riff Rocket, victorious in a Victoria Derby, Rosehill Guineas and the Australian Derby last season, has died a week after suffering a bout of colic.
In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller confirmed Riff Rocket had failed to recover from complications associated with bowel surgery.
“While his initial recovery appeared promising, the complexities often associated with such surgeries persisted,” wrote Waller who described Riff Rocket as a magnificent racehorse and an extraordinary animal.
“Despite round-the-clock efforts from veterinarians and caregivers over the past seven days, we were unable to overcome these challenges.”
A homebred for the Kepitis family’s Woppitt Bloodstock, which also co-owns champion mare Winx, four-year-old Riff Rocket had been equal favourite for next month’s Caulfield Cup.
The gelding had finished seventh first-up in the Winx Stakes at Randwick last month before illness struck.
As well as his three Group 1s during his 12-start career, Riff Rocket also won a Super Impose at Flemington and a CS Hayes Stakes and ran third in the 2024 Australian Guineas taken out by Southport Tycoon.
“This is a heartbreaking loss not only for the Kepitis family, but also for the entire team at Chris Waller Racing,” Waller continued.
“Riff Rocket will forever hold a special place in our hearts, remembered for the fighting spirit he displayed both on the racetrack and in his final days.
“Our thoughts go out to all those who had the privilege of working with and supporting Riff Rocket throughout his career.”
The Kepitis’ retain ownership of Riff Rocket’s three-year-old half-sister Codetta, a last-start Newcastle maiden winner in July for Randwick trainer Michael Freedman, as well as the pair’s stakes-placed dam Missile Coda. She is in foal to Coolmore’s dual Group 1-winning sprinter Home Affairs.
Riff Rocket’s sire American Pharoah shuttled to Coolmore Australia for five successive years from 2017 to 2021, resulting in seven individual stakes winners so far.
As well as Riff Rocket, American Pharoah is also the sire of Bill Stutt Stakes winner Tijuana, fellow Group 2 winner About Time and Pavitra, the Kia Ora Stud-bred and owned half-sister to Group 1-winning Newgate Farm-based sire Wild Ruler.
