Former Horse Of The Year, and dual July Handicap winner, El Picha (Tough Critic) has died. The champion was 22 years old at the time of his death and been enjoying a well earned retirement at the time of his passing.

El Picha, who was famously added to fill an empty stall by legendary trainer Terrance Millard, was snapped up for $15 000 when Millard, assisted by legendary bloodstock agent Alejandro Lilienfeld, purchased a number of yearlings in Argentina back in 1995. (This crop also included the classic winners Resfa and Igreja).

Syndicated to race in South Africa (where he raced for Terrance Millard, Abe Swersky, Brian Roux and Tanse Leisher), El Picha was coltish early on in his career which saw him eventually gelded.

The reformed character reeled off four wins on the bounce culminating in a pair of feature race wins –the Listed Hard Knot Handicap and Gr3 Peninsula Handicap. (El Picha would go on to win another five graded features).
El Picha proved disappointing next time out when unplaced in the Gr1 J&B Met, but stamped himself a legitimate July contender when flying up for third in the Gr2 Greyville 1900.

He picked up the first of his two Gr1 Rothmans July Handicap wins when accounting for former July hero Classic Flag (Allied Flag) in the 1999 race. The Geoff Woodruff trained gelding, despite his promising run in the Greyville 1900, was allowed to start a 14-1 shot and overcame a wide trip to score by three parts of a length.

Two starts later, El Picha won the Gr1 Summer Handicap under 58kgs by nearly three lengths –and was narrowly denied yet another big race success when just touched off by 3yo Badger’s Coast (Badger Land) in the 2000 Gr1 J&B Met.

Following this remarkable campaign, El Picha was jointly named Horse Of The Year (with stablemate Jet Master) as well as Equus Champion Older Male.
A disappointing run in the Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes was followed by a win, under top weight in the Gr3 Jubilee Handicap (where El Picha conceded 6kgs to the Gr1 winning runner up Big Brass). He ended the season on the best note with back to back wins in Gr1 contests.

An oh-so narrow defeat of a gallant Young Rake saw El Picha notch up his second July Handicap win, and the gelding followed that gutsy win with a defeat of Horse Of The Year Classic Flag in the Gr1 Sharp Electronics Cup (now Champions Cup).

Unfortunately the champion ended his career with a suspensory injury in the 2002 July and was subsequently retired.

At the time of his retirement, El Picha was the highest equine earner in South African history.

Out of the Cipyano mare Anayansi, El Picha won 12 races (from 1400-2200m) and earned R3 871 720 –and he will long be remembered as a true champion.