Intergaze, best remembered as the horse which beat Octagonal in the crowd favourite’s farewell race, has died aged 22.

In a career spanning five seasons, Intergaze won 12 races and more than $3.7 million prize money.

The 1997 Queen Elizabeth Stakes will go down as the most famous of Intergaze’s eight Group One wins when he turned giant killer.

A modern-day idol of Australian racing, Octagonal was expected to end his career on a high in the weight-for-age race at Randwick.

But he couldn’t peg back the Rod Craig-trained emerging star who was ridden by regular jockey Craig Carmody.

Carmody said Intergaze’s win over Octagonal stood out because it came at a pivotal time during his career in the saddle.

“His win in the Queen Elizabeth was on the back of two unfortunate runs where he could have easily won so the pressure was on,” Carmody said.

“But always the horse came through for me and he was never going to get beaten that day.”

Carmody said it was impossible to quantify how much Intergaze did for himself, Craig and a syndicate who paid $20,000 for the chestnut.

“I feel very fortunate to have been associated with such an animal,” he said.

“He came along at a really good time for me because like all jockeys, I was in search of a good horse.”

Intergaze’s Group One record also included the 1999 Queen Elizabeth Stakes as well as the Champagne Stakes, All Aged Stakes, Australian Cup, Canterbury Guineas, Underwood Stakes and Doomben Cup.

Octagonal was not the only big-name scalp Intergaze claimed as he also beat champions Might And Power and Tie The Knot.

Intergaze stood at stud from 2000 with the Melbourne Cup placegetter Maybe Better among the best of his progeny.

Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au