Celtic Swing, the sire of Takeover Target, has died at Allevamento di Besnate in Italy.  He was 18.  

Celtic Swing (Damister – Celtic Ring by Welsh Pageant) shuttled to Collingrove Stud in Victoria for three season in the late 1990s.  He sired 85 winners at a 73% strike-rate out here with world-champion sprinter Takeover Target an obvious standout.

In Europe, champion filly Six Perfections was his best by far.  She captured the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, G1 Jacques le Marois and G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.

Celtic Swing was raced by former British Horseracing Board Chairman Peter Savill and was undefeated as a two-year-old in 1994. He won three races by a combined margin of 24 lengths capped by an 12-length romp in the G1 Racing Post Trophy.

He returned at three to be beaten a head by Pennekamp in the English 2000 Guineas but rebounded a month later to defeat Poliogote in the French Derby.  “He was the best horse I’ve ever had by far and the best I am ever likely to have,” Savill recalled.  “He was an absolutely brilliant racehorse.”

Celtic Swing had been based at the Irish National Stud since 2001.  He was transferred to Italy late last year with fellow Irish based stallion Ramonti.