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Champion sire Zabeel has died at the age of 29 at Cambridge Stud in New Zealand.

Cambridge Stud’s Sir Patrick Hogan reported that the son of Sir Tristram passed away peacefully on Friday night in his paddock at the stud where he has resided since his retirement from racing in 1991.

Zabeel, a Group One winner of the Australian Guineas when trained by the late Colin Hayes, was retired from active stud duty in 2013.

He had stood at Cambridge Stud since 1991, taking up residence some 15 years after his own sire Sir Tristram began his illustrious stud career as Sir Patrick Hogan’s foundation stallion.

“Who in their wildest dreams would expect to first get a Sir Tristram and then a Zabeel?” Hogan reflected on Saturday when he spoke to the NZ Informant.

“I was the lucky person to be blessed with two great stallions. Between them they became my business and my life.”

Zabeel to date has sired 44 Group One winners – one less than Sir Tristram who died at Cambridge Stud in 1997 at the age of 26.

Zabeel’s progeny includes three Melbourne Cup winners - Might And Power, Jezabeel and Efficient - Caulfield Cup winners (Might And Power, Sky Heights) and four Cox Plate winners (Might And Power, Octagonal, Savabeel and Maldivian). His other G1 winners included Reset, Preferment, Don Eduardo, Zavite and Fiumicino.

Zabeel was twice champion Australian sire, champion New Zealand sire four times, winner of the NZ Dewar Trophy for combined NZ and Australian earnings 15 times and champion Australian broodmare sire three times and champion New Zealand broodmare sire three times.

Zabeel sired his 1000th individual winner in 2013. He is the sire of more than 156 stakes winners of more than $180 million prizemoney and his dynasty of sons at stud include Savabeel, Octagonal, Reset and Don Eduardo.

His last crop of two-year-olds will race this season

Sir Patrick Hogan issued a statement early on Saturday paying tribute to Zabeel.

“Zabeel was a sire who excelled at the very highest level and was able to carry on where his own great sire Sir Tristram had left off,” Sir Patrick said.

“He contributed to the thoroughbred industry and excelled above all expectations and having enjoyed his retirement for the past few years he will be sadly missed by all here at Cambridge Stud.

“He will be buried alongside his sire Sir Tristram in the very same tradition, with his tail facing the sunrise and his head facing the sunset.

“Zabeel gave so many people though his progeny the greatest thrill of winning so many races at the highest level.

“He surpassed all stallions that have come before him, past and present, in New Zealand. Four Cox Plates and three Melbourne Cups – what more can you say?

“So a big thankyou from us all and God bless, rest in peace.”