Dubai Millennium

Although he did not win a Classic or a European Classic there have been few horses in the last Century who have won in a more spectacular manner.

In the straight, he would simply explode like dynamite showing a blistering turn of foot. His owner, Sheikh Mohammed described him as:

"You can wait 20 years and never get a horse like this. I've never seen or owned a horse like him, the way he trains, the way he looks. He is quite outstanding."

The super colt was bred in Kentucky by Seeking the Gold out of Colorado Dancer.

Seeking The Gold by Mr.Prospector out of Con Game, have the record of 15 starts with 8 wins and 6 seconds, including the Dwyer Stakes (Gr.1), Super Derby (Gr.1), and Peter Pan Stakes (Gr.2), and being second in the Breeders' Cup Classic (Gr.1) to Alysheba defeating to Waquoit, Forty Niner, Cryptoclearance, Personal Flag, Cutlass Reality, Lively One, etc. In Stud, he has produced 50 stakes winner in 10 crops, sire of European Horse of the Year, Dubai Millennium, Eclipse Award winners, Heavenly Prize and Flanders, and other champions in France, Japan and Canada.

His mother, Colorado Dancer by Shareef Dancer out of Fall Aspen, won the Prix Minerve (Gr.3) over 12 furlongs and the Prix de Pomone (Gr.2) over 13 and a half furlongs, being second in the Prix Vermeille (Gr.1) and Yellow Ribbon Stakes (Gr.1) at Santa Anita, California.

The colt's original name was Yaazer and his name was changed as Sheikh Mohammed saw him as a prospect for the 2000 Dubai World Cup (Gr.1). There could not have been a more appropriate name for him. David Loder, at Newmarket trained the colt, and always, except in the Prince of Wales's Stakes was ridden by Lanfranco Dettori, because prior to this race, Frankie Dettori was injured in a plane crash together the jockey and now his Agent, Ray Cochrane. The pilot, Patrick Mackey died in the palne crash.

In a joint statement, Dettori and Cochrane said:

"We just feel so lucky to be alive and would like to thank everybody for their concern and good wishes. Patrick, the pilot, did a fantastic job. We would like to express our sympathy to his family and say that we owe our lives to his skill and courage. It`s a miracle we got out. We are very lucky to be here. We are feeling fine.Just tell everybody that we are so sorry about the pilot."

He raced only once as a two year old at Yarmouth in the South Norfolk Caterers Maiden Stakes, where he won by 5 lengths.

In his 3-year-old career, he won impressively in races at Doncaster, in the Doncaster Racecourse Sponsorship Club Conditions Stakes, where he won by 9 lengths, and at Goodwood, in the Compass UK Leisure Predominate Stakes (Listed) beating Red Sea by 3 1/2 legths. He was 5-1 favourite for the Epsom Derby but badly let down his supporters in the Blue Riband finishing 9th. The Derby was his only defeat, well beaten behind Oath. Dubai Millennium was now never raced beyond 10 furlongs, this time would be the first and the last that he did it.

At Maison Laffitte, he won the Prix Eugene Adam (Gr.2) by 3 lengths to State Shinto and he repeated this performance in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (Gr.1-Straight), beating Slickly by 2 1/2 legths.

Then, in the Group 1, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, he won drew away from the opposition by 6 lengths to Almushtarak.

In his 4-year-old career, Dubai Millennium made his debut in the Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum Challenge(Listed) at Nad Al Sheba. He simply won in a canter by 4 1/2 legths, defeating Lear Speer. The 10-furlong track record had been beaten.

The maestro was now entered for the Dubai World Cup (Gr.1). In the race, Dubai Millenium snatched the lead after a furlong and in the straight simply ran away from the opposition like a plane taking of a runaway. His opponents that day seemed like knights bowing before an emperor. The authority with which he won gave memories of great horses like Sea Bird, Secretariat or Nijinsky. On that day, he may have given those stars a run for their money! He clocked 1min 59.3 secs –a world record timing.Jockey Frank Dettori said that undoubtedly, he was the best horse he had ever ridden.

He returned to England to treat his opponents like starter hacks in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (Gr.1). He simply reminded one of the Prince of Wales leading a procession. Surprisingly for the first time in his career, he was displaced as the favourite. Sendawar was favourite at 6-5. Dubai Millennium crushed the opposition like a tiger crushing his prey winning by 8 1/2 lengths to Sumitas with Jerry Bailey on the saddle, Sendawar was fourth to 11 lenghts of the winner. Racing fans were now eagerly awaiting his duel with Montjeu, another great racehorse of his era. It was hailed as a great clash of titans.

Tragically Dubai Millennium broke his hind leg on a training gallop at Newmarket. He suffered a sustained a lateral condylar fracture of his right hind leg when working on the Limekilns at Newmarket, and had to be retired to stud. The brilliant racehorse required surgery and internal fixation for this serious injury, which sadly means that his racing days was over.

Tragedy, however repeated itself as on 29th April 2001, the horse died after suffering from grass sickness. Many attempts were made to save his life but in vain. His intestinal tract had become inoperable. It was an inconsolable loss to Racing.

Ironically, only a day earlier, the Sheikh had thrown down his challenge to Tabor proposing a $6 million match between the star colts.

In his career, Dubai Millennium won 9 starts out of 10 and earned 2,752,609 Pounds.

Dubai Millennium was buried in the stallion graveyard at Sheikh Mohammed's Dalham Hall Stud, where he was foaled and also stood as a stallion.

Seeking the Gold's son, stood for the highest stud fee ever in England at 150,000 pounds in 2001 until his untimely death.

Great Dubai Millennium's first foal was born on Sunday 13 January 2002 at Wimbledon Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. The chestnut colt was out of the extremely well bred Night Shift mare, Zelanda. Zelanda's fourth dam is the outstanding champion, Petite Etoile and this is the great family of Nasrullah, Royal Charger, Aliysa and the recently deceased Oh So Sharp.

The champion covered an outstanding book of mares and it is to be hoped his foals will continue the success sons of Seeking the Gold are beginning to enjoy at stud.

Timeform rated him at 140 on par with champions like Dancing Brave and Shergar (highest Timeform rating since Dancing Brave, ahead of Generous and Montjeu). To be in the 140 club is the status of a superhorse.

Personally, I would say that rating was justified over 10 furlongs. Over 10 furlongs, he was simply invincible and may have even beaten Sea Bird, however he was not able to stay over a mile and a half and thus overall his place would rank marginally below super horses in the class of Mill Reef, Nijinsky, etc. His inability to win classics or the Top Group 1 races went against his being rated a better horse than them.

On the racetrack his memories will be cherished forever. He simply set the tracks on fire when he ran.

Godolphin Racing’s Dubawi became the first starter and first winner for the late Dubai Millennium on Friday 4th of June 2004 with a 1 ¼-length win in a maiden race at Goodwood.

And the same Dubawi gave his sire his first stakes win, holding off a challenge from Henrik in the stretch and racing to a half-length win on Thursday 8th of July 2004 in the Weatherbys Superlative Stakes (Gr.3) at Newmarket.

Dubai Millennium 1996	Seeking The Gold	Mr Prospector	Raise A Native
			Gold Digger
		Con Game	Buckpasser
			Broadway
	Colorado Dancer	Shareef Dancer	Northern Dancer
			Sweet Alliance
		Fall Aspen	Pretense
			Change Water