Ian Balding has paid tribute to Selkirk, who has died at the age of 25.

Balding trained the George Strawbridge-owned Selkirk throughout a glittering career which saw him crowned Timeform's European champion miler in 1991 and 1992.

The chestnut won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in 1991 and claimed both the Lockinge at Newbury and the Celebration Mile at Goodwood the following year.

He retired to Lanwades Stud, in Newmarket, where he proved a great success as a stallion.

"He's had a great innings," said Balding.

"He was a wonderful racehorse first and then went on to prove himself as a champion stallion.

"Of course everyone will remember the wonderful race he had with Marling at Goodwood in the Sussex where he was narrowly beaten.

"Going into the race he was just a gallop short and that just told inside the last 100 yards.

"He was also very unlucky not to win a second QEII as a four-year-old.

"He was just a lovely horse to have anything to do with.

"Most people used to say he wanted soft ground but he went on anything."

At stud, Selkirk sired winners of over 1,500 races, including 90 individual stakes scorers, with Nahrain and Cityscape his most recent successes.