Pensioned Ascot Stud sire, AL Mufti, the champion South African sire of 2002, died in his paddock on Thursday at the age of 26. The son of Roberto had been living in retirement since fertility problems forced his withdrawal from stud duty in 2007.

Ashley and Rose Parker's, Al Mufti is the sire of 11 Group 1 winners including this season's Cape Derby winner Top Seller, who hails from his final full crop of three-year-olds. Another representative, Victory Moon, won the UAE Derby for Mike de Kock before running fifth to Falbrav in the Eclipse Stakes. He also placed in the Dubai World Cup.

Al Mufti has several sons representing him at stud including Group 1 winner Captain Al and he has also excelled as a broodmare sire. Between them, his daughters have produced ten Group 1 winners including Dubai Duty Free winner Jay Peg and Dubai World Cup fancy Bold Silvano.

Four-time winner Al Mufti was initially trained by Harry Thomson Jones on behalf of Sheikh Hamdan in whose colours he ran second in a Cologne Group 2 and was tenth behind Kahyasi in the 1988 Derby. Transferred to South Africa, he went on to run second in the Group 1 Rothmans July Handicap.

He owned a pedigree out of the top drawer as a half-brother to Prix de la Foret hero Wolfhound and Grade 3 winner Weekend Surprise, the dam of US Classic winners A P Indy and Summer Squall. -Racing Post, SAHorseracing.COM additions