The Aga Khan Studs is sad to announce the passing of Daylami, who was put to sleep due to the infirmities of old age just two weeks short of his 29th birthday.

The distinctive grey son of Doyoun and Daltawa will be long remembered for his globetrotting exploits in both the green and red silks of his breeder H.H. the Aga Khan and the blue colours of Godolphin. He won 11 of his 21 starts between 1996 and 1999, only ever finishing out of the first three on three occasions.

Daylami’s first of seven Group 1 victories came in the 1997 Poule d’Essai des Poulains. He thereafter won the Eclipse Stakes, the Man O’War Stakes, the Coronation Cup, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Irish Champion Stakes, before capping a magnificent career by landing the Breeders’ Cup Turf by two and a half lengths at Gulfstream Park. He was subsequently awarded the title of Cartier Horse of the Year and Eclipse Champion Male Turf Horse, and rated as the world’s best racehorse of 1999 alongside Montjeu. He was given a Timeform rating of 138.

As a stallion, Daylami spent time in Ireland, France and South Africa, siring the likes of Classic winner Grey Swallow and dual Group 1 winner Voila Ici. He is also the broodmare sire of Group 1 winners such as Arcano, Grand Glory, Logician and Pierro, the latter now a champion sire in Australia.

For the past four years, Daylami had enjoyed a happy retirement with the Aga Khan Studs back at his birthplace in Ireland, cared for by his devoted handler Joe Doyle. He will be much missed by all the team and will be commemorated with a memorial at Gilltown Stud.