By Kelsey Riley
Zabeel (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}–Lady Giselle {Fr}, by Nureyev), multiple champion sire in Australia and New Zealand the sire of 44 Group 1 winners, has died at age 29 at Sir Patrick Hogan's Cambridge Stud in New Zealand, where he was born and stood at stud since his retirement from racing in 1991. Hogan revealed Zabeel passed away peacefully in his paddock, and said in a statement, “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. 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,” Hogan continued. “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 thank you from us all and God bless, rest in peace.”
Bred by Hogan and campaigned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Zabeel was trained initially by Colin Hayes through his first two seasons and then Hayes's son, David, as a 4-year-old. His most important victory came in the G1 Australian Guineas, and he retired to Cambridge Stud with seven wins from 19 starts.
Hogan told the TDN in a 2013 feature that Zabeel was initially not well received by trainers, but they quickly changed their tune once his first crop began to find their feet.
“Trainers found they were difficult to handle, and they were a bit light-fleshed and a bit soft in the brain,” Hogan noted. “So the next year when they came back to the sales at Karaka, a number of trainers said, 'look, we want to see your yearlings, but we don't want to see any more Zabeels. We don't think they're going to be any good.' But the following year, the third time back at the sales with the third crop, they changed their tune and said, 'we want to see all the Zabeels you've got available.' It took a bit of time for Zabeel to get up and running with his progeny, but once he did, it's history now.” Click here for the TDN feature.
Zabeel's first crop included the 10-time Group 1 winner Octagonal (NZ), bred by Hogan out of his blue-hen producer Eight Carat (GB). Octagonal, whose wins included the Australian Derby, Cox Plate, Australian Cup and Sires' Produce S., is carrying on the sire line through his Australian champion sire-son Lonhro (Aus).
That first crop also included Group 1 winners Jezabeel (NZ) and Cronus (NZ), and the high-class winners continued to flow. His 44 Group 1 winners also include Might and Power (NZ), who recorded a rare G1 Caulfield Cup, G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 Cox Plate triple; four-time Group 1 winner Sky Heights (NZ); Hong Kong superstar and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic winner Vengeance of Rain (NZ); and G1 Melbourne Cup winner Efficient (NZ).
Like many champion sires, Zabeel has also excelled as a broodmare sire. His daughters have produced 26 Group 1 winners, including G1 Cox Plate winner Ocean Park (NZ) (Thorn Park {Aus}); five-time Group 1 winner It's A Dundeel (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}); four-time Group 1 winner Atlantic Jewel (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}); and G1 Crown Oaks winner Samantha Miss (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}).
Zabeel was pensioned from stud duty in December 2013 after failing to get any of the around-30 mares bred to him in foal that season. His accolades thus far include four New Zealand sire championships and three New Zealand broodmare sire championships; two Australian sire championships and three Australian broodmare sire championships; and 15 Dewar Stallion Trophies, an award presented by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association that recognizes the New Zealand stallion with the highest progeny earnings in Australia and New Zealand each season.
Zabeel's final crop of yearlings this year numbers five–four fillies and one colt–with two of those offered at New Zealand Bloodstock's Karaka sale in January. Hogan himself led the last one through the ring, a colt consigned by Cambridge Stud that sold for NZ$160,000.
Click here to watch a New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing interview with Sir Patrick Hogan Saturday.
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