Promising first season sire Spill The Beans has died on the eve of the appearance of his first metropolitan race runner.
Spill The Beans, who stood at Aquis Farm in Queensland, is tipped to be among the leading first season sires in Australia this season.
The winner of the Group Two QTC Cup, Spill The Beans had his first winner with Tennessee Boy in Townsville on Sunday and Way Beyond will be his first Brisbane runner in Saturday's QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm.
Aquis Farm's chief executive Shane McGrath confirmed Spill The Beans had died on Friday morning.
"It is all a bit raw at the moment and we will have extensive tests done to determine the reason," McGrath said.
"We had high hopes for him. His first crop to race is already showing a heap of ability."
Way Beyond's trainer Stuart Kendrick expects the colt to be competitive in a well above-average two-year-old race.
"It isn't a big field but there are wraps on a couple of the other runners," Kendrick said.
"My bloke has had a jump-out and then ran second in an official trial.
"On both occasions he got to the line strongly which is a good indication for an Eagle Farm race."
If Way Beyond measures up he will head towards the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, a race in which Kendrick had this year's runner-up Fullazaboot.
Way Beyond is one of three horses by Spill The Beans in Kendrick's stables.
"I have a nice filly and another colt who is a half brother to my open sprinter Spur Le Jour. I am looking forward to them getting to the track," he said..