World champion miler and leading French sire Slickly has died at the age of 25.
The son of Linamix was initially trained by Andre Fabre and struck in the Prix la Rochette (G3) at 2, before wins in the Grand Prix de Paris (G1) and Prix Noailles (G2) at 3.
Slickly, who also chased home the brilliant Dubai Millennium in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois (G1) at 3, was purchased by Godolphin and sent to Saeed bin Suroor as a 4-year-old.
He landed the Prix Dollar "Le Saint Denac" Barriere (G2) that year before three top-level successes at age 5, including the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1), in which he beat Banks Hill by three lengths. He was subsequently crowned world champion miler that year.
Slickly stood his first season at Darley's Haras du Logis in 2003 and sired the winners of more than 900 flat races, notably Meandre, the winner of four group 1s, namely the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Grosser Preis von Berlin, and Preis von Europa.
Among Slickly's other leading offspring is Gris de Gris, winner of the Prix du Muguet (G2) and runner-up in the Prix d'Ispahan (G1), who now stands as a jumps sire at Haras de Tierce, plus the stakes-placed Maka, the dam of Prix de Cabourg-Jockey Club de Turquie (G3) scorer and Darley Prix Morny (G1) third Tourny.
Slickly was out of the Conquistador Cielo mare Slipstream Queen and was notably a half-sibling to Sichilla, the dam of outstanding European sire Siyouni.
He was also a full brother to the stakes-placed pair of Slipstream King and Streamix. He had been retired from stud duty in 2019 and was euthanized at Haras du Logis.
Julian Ince, who managed his 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 6- or 7-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."
