Slickly, the world Champion miler of 2001 who went on to be a leading sire in France, has died at the age of 25.
Initially trained by Andre Fabre, Slickly was unbeaten at two, breaking his maiden at Deauville before successfully stepping up to Group level to land the G3 Prix La Rochette. He returned at three to win the G2 Prix Noailles en route to his first top-flight win in the Grand Prix de Paris.
Slickly chased home Dubai Millennium in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois – beaten two-and-a-half lengths, no horse ever got closer to Sheikh Mohammed’s great Champion when in winning form. At the end of his three-year-old campaign, Slickly was purchased by Godolphin and went on to take a hat-trick of G1 wins at a mile, including the Prix du Moulin beating Banks Hill by three lengths. He was rated 129 by Timeform and topped the official world rankings in the mile division.
Slickly stood his first season at Haras du Logis in 2003 and, having retired from public stud duties in 2019, lived out his days in his cherry-tree lined paddock, just a few miles from where he was foaled.
Slickly has sired the winners of over 900 races on the flat, with Meandre undoubtedly his best – he too won four G1 races, and, like his sire, was trained by Andre Fabre to win the Grand Prix de Paris.
A great friend to French breeders, at his peak 17% of his offspring won at least €100,000 in prize money and French premiums. Slickly is also sire of G1 performer Gris de Gris, now making his name as a jumps stallion, while his best broodmare daughter – the Stakes-placed Maka, dam of the G1 juvenile Tourny – is also a Haras du Logis resident. Slickly’s sister, Sichilla, has found fame as the dam of French Champion sire Siyouni.
Julian Ince, who has managed Slickly’s stud career, said, ‘Slickly has been a wonderful horse to have at Logis, and had a very loyal following among French breeders. He was the perfect sire for the French ‘primes’ - his stock could win as early juveniles and still be going strong as six- or seven-year-olds, much as he was himself. He reliably transmitted his will to win. He was quite white in his old age, with plenty of lumps and bumps, but he was always happy to see a friendly face, and it was a sad day when we finally had to let him go.’
