Sir Patrick Hogan dies aged 83

Sir Patrick Hogan, the man who, along with his wife Justine, achieved so much for the New Zealand Bloodstock industry during his lifelong commitment to the industry, has passed away, bringing sadness to the entire thoroughbred racing world in which he will forever be held in the highest possible esteem.

A founder of the hugely successful and internationally highly regarded Cambridge Stud in 1976, Hogan’s inspired selection of Sir Tristram as the stud’s foundation stallion, which was buoyed by Hogan’s belief in the stallion’s bloodline rather than Sir Tristram’s racing ability (he was only a two-time winner) would set the stud and New Zealand breeding on an unprecedented path of success for many, many years to come.

Sir Tristram sired forty-five individual Group One winners, amongst them a horse named Zabeel, an Australian Guineas winner, who was to continue Sir Tristram’s legacy after taking up stud duties at Cambridge in 1991.

Zabeel ultimately was to match Sir Tristram’s total, also being the sire of forty-five Group 1 winners, thus maintaining the dominance of the family’s breed-shaping legacy which all hinged on that call made by sir Patrick Hogan all of those years ago.

Achievement aside, Sir Patrick Hogan was a champion as a person and, arguably, therein lies a trait of his as big as his list of achievements … a true gentleman who will be sorely missed.

The comments of Sir Peter Vela, the Principal Of New Zealand Bloodstock, given to loveracing.nz aptly summed up the thoughts of many.

“In my lifetime there has been no greater influence in the New Zealand breeding industry than Patrick Hogan,” said Sir Peter Vela.

“This country was so fortunate to have someone like him. He was a great horseman, his knowledge, what stallions to develop and how to grow the industry … so from every point of view his passing is just so sad.

“He was a hugely significant man for the things we can see and also for his generosity which was perhaps less well known, whether it was someone in need or the many people he shared his knowledge with.

“His name and persona was, and always will be, synonymous with the New Zealand thoroughbred breeding industry and his massive contribution to putting this country on the world stage.”