A notable chapter in Australasian breeding has been closed with confirmation that Group I winner and multiple champion sire Zabeel has been retired from active stud duties. 

Sir Patrick Hogan made the announcement on Monday morning from his Cambridge Stud in New Zealand where the 27yo Zabeel has stood since his retirement to stud in 1991.

"It’s the end of an era and what a ride it’s been for Cambridge Stud,” Sir Patrick Hogan said. "I could never have imagined what Sir Tristram was able to achieve and pretty well immediately afterwards came Zabeel to take over the mantle – it’s been an amazing 33-year run.” 

"He’s been an extraordinary horse with three Melbourne Cup winners and four Cox Plate winners and as a sire of sires he’s left a horse like Reset, who has produced a VRC Derby winner (Rebel Raider), a Caulfield Cup winner (Fawkner) and a Cox Plate winner (Pinker Pinker).” 

Trained by Colin Hayes for his first two seasons and then David Hayes at four, Zabeel raced for Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum and won seven of his 19 starts and $1.13 million. 

He won five stakes, notably the Group I Australian Guineas (1600m) and the Group II Craiglee Stakes (1600m) at four. 

Zabeel retired to stud in 1991. Since then he has been the champion sire in New Zealand four times, the champion sire in Australia twice and has headed the broodmare sire list twice in Australia and New Zealand. 

"Zabeel’s a great broodmare sire as well and his daughters produced the first (It’s A Dundeel), second (Atlantic Jewel) and third (Dear Demi) in the Underwood Stakes this season. 

"I might be biased and the Australians may disagree but in my time, and I’m 74, I can’t identify a horse in the last 50-odd years that has been as successful as him.” 

From 1389 of offspring to race, Zabeel has sired 1007 winners with 148 stakes winners and worldwide earnings in excess of $170 million. 

His 43 Group I winners include the likes of Octagonal, Might And Power, Efficient, Sky Heights, Vengeance Of Rain, Maldivian, Savabeel, the unbeaten Reset and Jezabeel. 

Zabeel had been covering smaller books of mares due to decreased fertility but he was still active in 2013 at a fee of $NZ100,000.