Dual Eclipse and King George winner dies at Aston Upthorpe Stud

Mtoto, one of the greatest racehorses of the last 30 years has died at his long-standing home, Aston Upthorpe Stud, at the age of 28.

Bred by the late John Moore at Biddestone Stud in Wiltshire and sold as a yearling for 110,000gns, Mtoto was trained by the late Alec Stewart for Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid al Maktoum. Mtoto was the winner of eight races including the Group One Eclipse Stakes, twice, and the Group One King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. He was also a dual Royal Ascot winner when landing consecutive Prince of Wales' Stakes in 1987 and 1988. Rated 134 by Timeform, he was crowned European Champion Older Horse in 1987.

Mtoto retired to Aston Upthorpe Stud in 1989 and spent the next 17 years as a stallion in a career where he sired the Derby winner Shaamit and the Ascot Gold Cup hero Celeric. He produced top-class filly Serious Attitude, winner of the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in 2008 and Group One Neartic Stakes in Canada in 2010, from his penultimate crop.

Mtoto's legacy will continue through his daughters, sixteen of which have bred Stakes winners. His son Presenting is the leading National Hunt sire in Britain and Ireland, making Mtoto a grandsire of two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, Denman and War Of Attrition, and this season's Grand National hero, Ballabriggs.

Liam O'Rourke, Stud Director at Dalham Hall said, "Mtoto was an exceptional racehorse and he won some of Britain's most famous races. Perhaps his most memorable performance was in the 1988 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe where he overcame a wall of horses with his incredible acceleration to be beaten only a neck. Mtoto was an inspiration to many - from racing professionals and the public to the staff at Aston Upthorpe where he will be sadly missed."