Kiwi bred Hong Kong champion Vengeance Of Rain has died at Cambridge Stud.  

The 11 year-old Zabeel gelding had been in retirement at the leading New Zealand stud since falling in the G3 Centenary Vase at Sha Tin in February 2008.

Originally registered as Subscribe in Australia, he won the LR Veuve Clicquot Stakes at Caulfield in March 2003 before transferring to Hong Kong.

Vengeance Of Rain (Zabeel – Danelagh by Danehill) first came to prominence in 2005 with G1 wins in the Hong Kong Derby, Queen Elizabeth II Cup and Champions & Chater Cup.  He reached career highs in the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in 2007.

Trainer David Ferraris said he was saddened by the news.  “He was still relatively young but had a heart condition.  It just shows how good he was to achieve so much in spite of it.

“He was such a wonderful horse and I know he had the retirement he deserved at Cambridge.  He looked fantastic and enjoyed it there.”