Stathi Katsidis returns last Saturday at Doomben aboard Diamondsondinside. No one knew it at the time, but Diamondsondinside was to be stallion Iglesia's last city winner whilst he was alive.

Queensland’s highest service fee stallion Iglesia had to be humanely put down yesterday after he suffered laminitis in the opposite back leg he received a vertical fracture too six weeks ago. The laminitis developed as a result of him putting all his weight on his good back leg. The cast that was put on his broken leg was due to come off in 10 days.

The stallion was sent to stand at Oaklands Stud, outside of Toowoomba, after being retired to stud in 2001, following him landing a huge plunge for trainer Russell Cameron and jockey Stephen ­­­Arnold in the Group 3 Standish Handicap at Flemington down the straight over 1200 metres on New Year’s Day 2001, when he smashed the Flemington track record to stop the clock at 1 minute 7.16 seconds. That time standard still remains as the track record to this day and it is also the Australian national 1200-metre record.

Iglesia failed to run a place in four subsequent Group and Listed races during the Sydney Autumn Carnival and then the Brisbane Winter Carnival of 2001 - and was subsequently retired to stud with the record of 6 wins and 4 thirds from 20 starts and prizemoney earnings of $472,501.

Iglesia didn’t win, or ever run a place, at the elite Group 1 level and in fact the only other Group race he won was the Group 2 1998 Silver Slipper Stakes at Rosehill over 1100 when he ran a slick 1.3.6 for that trip defeating Marrego and Star of Hayley.

Iglesia entered the world on October 11, 1995 at Bhima Stud in New South Wales, the son of Last Tycoon and the Group 1 placed Marscay mare Yodells and originally stood at Oaklands Stud for $6,000 from 2001 to 2005 inclusive.

The success of his progeny had seen his service fee escalate to $22,000 this year and he had served the majority of his book, before tragedy struck on 3/11/06, when the horse broke his leg, which necessitated him being taken to Oakey Veterinary Hospital in an attempt to save his life.

Iglesia served good numbers of mares in his early days at stud which gave him every chance of success and he also had good fertility as evidenced by official Studbook records below which show the following statistics. They also show that Iglesia was not immune from having a low book of mares in his third year. Stallions historically have an ordinary number of mares patronize them in their third year, as broodmare owners stand back and watch their first crop 2YO’s get to the racetrack.

Iglesia has produced five individual black type performers namely Written Tycoon (Group 2 Todman Stakes), Nova Star (Queensland Guineas - Group 2 and Sir Douglas Wadley - Listed), Diamondsondinside (BTC Slipper – Listed), Foolish (Ken Russell Classic and BTC Golden Stakes which were both Listed races) and Ramiro (the recent Listed Towton Cup in Western Australia).

Iglesia has 52 yearlings catalogued to go through the Magic Millions Yearling Sale at the Gold Coast in January 2007.