Darley sire Refuse to Bend has died of a heart attack at Haras du Logis in France.  The 12 year-old stallion was due to stand his first season at the Normandy stud having previously stood at Kildangan Stud and Whitsbury Manor Stud.

Refuse To Bend (Sadler’s Wells) shuttled to Australia for three seasons until 2008.  He has sired 43 winners to date both here and in NZ headed by the stakes winners Benny’s Buttons, Intransigent and Right Of Refusal.

His leading European runner has been champion filly Sarafina.  The Aga Khan homebred was a G1 winner of the 2010 Prix Saint-Alary and Prix de Diane and the 2011 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

Refuse To Bend was a G1 winner of the 2003 English 2000 Guineas and returned to add the 2004 Queen Anne Stakes and Coral Eclipse.  “Refuse to Bend was a very good horse,” trainer Dermot Weld said.  “He was very honest and true and was a horse close to my heart.  I have many happy memories of him.”