Sheikh Mohammed's homebred developed laminitis following a long illness, and, on Friday, the difficult decision was to taken to euthanize him.
Foaled at Kildangan Stud in Ireland in 1992, Singspiel was a son of In The Wings - also a Darley-homebred - and the Canadian Horse of the Year and Champion Older mare in America, Glorious Song.
Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Singspiel was an outstanding racehorse who was the first to truly contribute to the internationalisation of racing through his achievements around the world. He won G1 races in Canada, Japan and Europe in addition to achieving victory in the world's richest race. Singspiel became a powerful force as a stallion, too: when his first-crop son Moon Ballad triumphed at Nad al Sheba in 2003, Singspiel became the only Dubai World Cup winner to sire a Dubai World Cup winner.
Among his 12 G1 winners are Papineau, Westerner's conqueror in a top notch running of the Ascot Gold Cup, the world's longest G1 race, and also Rewaaya, a super-fast G1-winning sprinter in Australia.
Singspiel's most recent successes include the Ribblesdale winner Hibaayeb who also won the G1 Fillies' Mile at two, and Eclipse hopeful Dar Re Mi, winner of the Dubai Sheema Classic in the spring. That was Singspiel's second successive win in Dubai's richest turf race; his son Eastern Anthem swooped from last to first to win in 2009.
In a stud career that started in 1998, Singspiel has so far sired no fewer than 73 black type winners, 12 of whom have won at G1 level and his progeny have amassed in excess of £40 million in prize money to date.
Singspiel's last crop are foals of 2010.
John Ferguson, Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock advisor said, "Singspiel has been a huge part of Sheikh Mohammed and Darley's breeding and racing operation for many years. He was bred by Sheikh Mohammed, and, as a racehorse, he covered every continent. The highlight was his win in the Dubai World Cup. He then went on to great things at stud where he sired Moon Ballad from his first crop to also win the Dubai World Cup."
"He was an outstandingly tough racehorse who was able to pass it on to many of his progeny who performed around the world. He has been admired and supported industry-wide in Australia, Europe, Japan and the USA where he has produced racehorses of the highest calibre."
"Sheikh Mohammed would like to thank all of those at Dalham Hall and the veterinarians in Newmarket for doing everything they could for him. He will be sadly missed."
