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The South African horseracing and breeding industry are reeling after the news that Jet Master(SAF), champion sire for the past five seasons, died in the early hours of Tuesday morning at the Drakenstein Veterinary Clinic, due to complications following surgery.

Jet Master contracted West Nile disease in April of this year and while initially seeming to recover, he suffered a setback in May that left his balance affected and he remained unstable on his legs.

With no discernable improvement by October, his veterinary team in conjunction with his owners, Henry and Pat Devine decided to investigate whether the stallion had suffered a spinal cord compression.

Dr Barrie Grant, an expert on equine spinal cord compression in the USA, who successfully operated on Seattle Slew when the stallion was struck by a similar condition, agreed to treat the stallion.

Dr Grant arrived in South Africa last week and Jet Master was operated on by Dr Grant and a team of veterinarians on Saturday. The operation to relieve the compression was successful, but unfortunately Jet Master suffered a setback on Sunday, which ultimately led to his death.

Jet Master was an extraordinary racehorse and sire and he will be sadly missed by all, especially by his devoted owner, Mrs Pat Devine.

He was purchased by Mrs Devine, a leading owner, as a weanling for R15 000. Despite a very modest and non commercial pedigree, there was just something about the gangly colt that caught her eye.

His racing career got off to a shaky start as he needed three operations to assist his breathing, which was never completely successful. Despite this he went on to win eight Group 1 races and was awarded the Horse of the Year trophy twice.

His success continued as a sire when he rewrote the record books with his first crop, producing 59 winners from 70 runners and amongst them 16 stakes winners. He thus became champion freshman sire in 2004. In 2007 he became champion sire for the first time, a position he has held ever since.

Jet Master's best known progeny include J J The Jet Plane, winner of the Gr 1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint, Pocket Power, multiple Horse of the Year and his globetrotting younger sister, River Jetez.