THE 21-year-old Mahler, who was twice champion point-to-point sire in Ireland, passed away at The Beeches Stud last weekend due to the infirmities of old age.

Paying tribute, Robert McCarthy said: “Mahler had a wonderful temperament and was a lovely horse to be around. He has been a great servant over the years and will be sadly missed by everyone here at The Beeches, in particular by Yann, who has looked after him so well for the past few years and is absolutely heartbroken.”

From the second crop of Galileo, Mahler enjoyed a busy and successful campaign as a three-year-old. He won the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, finished second in the St Leger Stakes at Doncaster and went on to run a fine race when third in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup.

At stud, Mahler produced a host of top-class chasers including Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase winner The Real Whacker, Maghull Novices’ Chase winner Ornua, Troytown Chase winner Chris’s Dream, Munster National winner The Big Dog, and this year’s Kim Muir Challenge Cup winner at the Cheltenham Festival, Daily Present.

Mahler most recently made headlines when his daughter Dawn Of Light topped the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale at £370,000, selling to Mags O’Toole.