The 2008 Cox Plate champion Maldivian (NZ) (Zabeel) has died aged 18.

The popular gelding lived out his later years as a paddock nanny at Victoria’s Cityview Farm, where he was charged with looking after weanlings and yearlings.

Trained by Mark Kavanagh and ridden by Michael Rodd, Maldivian won the Cox Plate to provide the combination with one of their proudest achievements.

In a career spanning 30 starts, Maldivian won three Group One races in his haul of nine wins, amassing more than A$2.8 million in prize money.

He was unbeaten in the three starts over the Cox Plate trip of 2040m at Moonee Valley.

A son of Champions sire Zabeel, the Cox Plate victory stood Maldivian in elite company by becoming Zabeel’s fourth Cox Plate winner, following Octagonal (NZ) 1995, Might and Power (NZ) 1998 and Savabeel 2004.

“Maldivian’s name is forever etched on the Legends Wall here at The Valley and he will be remembered fondly for his achievements on the track,” said Alastair Dwyer, MVRC’s GM – Racing, Media & Communications.