Death of 'lovely, kind' Classic-winning sire of Willie Mullins stars after illness
Mirror July 09, 2025 11:39 PM

Tributes have been paid to Jukebox Jury, a top stayer on the Flat who went on to become a significant sire of jumps horses. The grey, who was trained by Mark Johnston, won nine of his 22 starts in the colours of Alan Spence over four seasons.

As a two-year-old he won on debut at the 2008 Glorious Goodwood meeting, adding the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes later in the year. The following season he landed the Grand Prix de Deauville and next time out made his Group 1 breakthrough in the Preis von Europa, scoring by a nose under regular rider Royston Ffrench, then finished second in the Canadian International.

He won twice more during 2010, then after moving up in distance as a six-year-old captured the 2011 Prix Kergorlay and dead-heated for first place in the Irish St Leger.

There were more international exploits when he went to Australia to tackle the Melbourne Cup but he finished down the field. He was found to be lame post race and did not race again. He earned more than £850,000 on the track.

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Jukebox Jury went on to have a successful stallion career, standing at Burgage Stud in Ireland for a fee of £10,700.

He had enjoyed one of his best years in 2025 with one of his best offspring, the Willie Mullins-trained It Etait Temps, defeating Jonbon in the Celebration Chase at Sandown in April.

Mullins also trains another son of Jukebox Jury, Bambino Fever, who has won all four starts include the Champion Bumpers at the Cheltenham Festival and Punchestown Festival this year.

He weighed in on the Flat too, siring Princess Zoe, who won the Group 1 Prix du Cadran in 2020 when trained by Mullins’s brother Tony.

Burgage Stud broke the news of Jukebox Jury’s passing at the age of 19 on X. The statement said: “It is with great sadness that we announce Jukebox Jury has been euthanised due to complications following colic surgery.

“He had a lovely, kind personality and was a pleasure to work with. He will be greatly missed, but we are thankful he came to Burgage and the impact he has left.”

It continued: “He is the sire of six individual G1 winners, including a Group 1 winner on the Flat, a feat achieved by few stallions - Farclas, Stuke, Princess Zoe, Il Etait Temps, Honesty Policy, Bambino Fever.”

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