Oh So Sharp dies

Steve Cauthen today paid tribute to the brilliant Oh So Sharp - describing her as the best filly he ever rode.

The American, who enjoyed a highly successful spell in Britain during the 1980s, spoke of his sadness at the death of the 1985 fillies` Triple Crown winner at the age of 19.

Oh So Sharp, who was trained by Henry Cecil and owned by Sheikh Mohammed, was unbeaten in three starts at two before making her name by winning the 1000 Guineas, Oaks and St Leger.

She was also runner-up in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup at York.

Cauthen, 41, told PA Sport from his farm in Kentucky: 'She was, without doubt, the best filly I have ridden.

'Affirmed was the best horse overall I have ridden because he was such an all-rounder but she was the same.

'He was like her - consistent and continually brilliant. He would beat whatever you put in front of him and so would she.

'She was a good two-year-old and she was probably unlucky to be beaten ever.

'In the King George, the ground was rock hard - she hated that firm ground.'

Cauthen also blamed that defeat on the manoeuvre made by Infantry, ridden by Brent Thomson, just as he was about to make his move.

Oh So Sharp was also beaten by Commanche Run on 'bottomless' ground in the Benson & Hedges at the York Ebor meeting.

He said: 'She was a terrific filly. I was also lucky enough to win a Grade One on one of her daughters. She produced a nice filly in Rosefinch and I rode that.

'She was the last filly to win the Triple Crown for fillies. The last one was Meld 30 years before her.

'She ran against the boys and she beat them. It was a great crop of fillies that year (1985).

'She beat Al Bahathri and Bella Colora in the 1000 Guineas - they were good fillies - and she beat Triptych by six lengths in the Oaks.

'She was without doubt one of my favourite horses.'

Oh So Sharp was put down after becoming ill at the Dalham Hall Stud at Newmarket, where she had been a broodmare since retiring from racing.

She had been suffering from laminitis and had developed problems since foaling in the spring.

Stud director Liam O`Rourke said: 'Though she always had the very best veterinary attention, she was beginning to suffer.

'She was humanely destroyed to spare her further pain. She was a lovely mare to have on the farm - she was born and bred at Dalham Hall Stud.

'After her fantastic racing career, she bred Sheikh Mohammed some excellent horses. We`ll miss her very much but we still have her last foal to look forward to.'

Her last foal is a 2001 son of Danehill.