Jockey Mick Kinane has hailed Vintage Crop as an icon following the death of the horse he rode to win 1993 Melbourne Cup winner.

Vintage Crop was euthanised at the Irish National Stud after failing to respond to treatment for pain caused by colic.

Trained by Dermot Weld, Vintage Crop became the first northern hemisphere-trained horse to win the Melbourne Cup.

"He was an iconic stayer and we created history, so he'll always have a special place in my heart," Kinane said.

"He was a very tough and genuine horse and also very talented.

"He won the Melbourne Cup, two Irish St Legers and the Cesarewitch. He didn't manage to win the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. He just didn't stay well enough.

"We were pretty confident going into the Melbourne Cup. He'd won the Irish Leger, the rain came, we were expecting a big performance and he produced."

Vintage Crop was retired to the Irish National Stud after finishing third in the 1995 Melbourne Cup.

John Osborne, chief executive of the stud, said Vintage Crop was a pioneer.

"Vintage Crop was a true equine celebrity, a horse who pioneered the concept of truly global competition when he travelled from the Curragh to Flemington to win the Melbourne Cup," he said.

"The scale of that achievement is revealed by the number of horses who have since tried and come up short.

"He was a great feature of our visitor experience here at the Irish National Stud, his story was told to hundreds of thousands, who saw him as a true warrior."

Osborne said Vintage Crop had a nephrosplenic entrapment which caused his colic.

"As a 27-year-old the treatment options are restricted, his response to pain control was disappointing and he was humanely put to sleep," he said.