How great was Dubai Millenium?
era comparison
- Amongst dozen best flat racehorses from the British Isles
- Amongst 5 best ever racehoress from Britain over distance of 10 furlongs
- Amongst 3 bestr ever racehorses over 10 furlongs
- Not an all-time great racehorse
- In the class of the very best racehorses
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Many racehorses become legends, but only a few are remembered as destiny’s chosen creatures —beings so exceptional that they seem to scale transcendental heights in sport itself., scaling realms metaphysical. Dubai Millennium symbolised one such horse, who on 29th April celebrates his 25th death anniversary. His life epitomized a dream that was realized and then heartbreakingly lost. Dubai Millennium wasn’t bred — he was a creature of destiny.
Dubai Millennium raced only once as a two-year-old, winning easily. But it was as a three-year-old that he revealed his true prowess. comprising a perfect concoction of devastating speed, graceful stride, and effortless power, which made him nearly invincible. Dubai Millennium was then transferred to Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor’s stable and made his three-year-old debut in early May, romping to a nine-length victory in a Doncaster conditions race. A swift return 15 days later saw him gain his first Stakes win, moving with electrifying acceleration from last to first to win the Predominate Stakes at Goodwood by three and a half lengths.
In the Epsom Derby, he faced his one and only taste of defeat during his illustrious career., failing to endure the distance of a mile and a half. He bounced back in spectacular fashion to form in the G2 Prix Eugene Adam before gaining his first G1 victory in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, finishing ahead of fellow Godolphin runner and previous G1 winner Slickly.
Dubai Millennium rounded off his three-year-old campaign with an impressive six-length win in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, establishing himself as one of the finest milers of his generation. He then travelled to winter in Dubai full of the promise that his best was yet to come.
New Millenium as a four-year-oldDubai Millennium raced only once as a two-year-old, winning easily. But it was as a three-year-old that he revealed his true prowess. comprising a perfect concoction of devastating speed, graceful stride, and effortless power, which made him nearly invincible. He won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, establishing himself as one of the finest milers of his generation.
Dubai Millenium next headed for the Dubai World Cup. On March 25, 2000, under the dazzling lights of Nad Al Sheba, Dubai Millennium stepped into the starting gate for the Dubai World Cup. The race was his ultimate goal —what Sheikh Mohammed had dreamed of since renaming him. Dubai Millennium cruising into the lead after a furlong, drew further and further to extend his lead over his rivals in the home straight and eventually won by six lengths, literally motoring away in the final stages with second-placed Behren five lengths ahead of the rest of the field.
His power was mercurial and electrifying and his stride an epitome of grace while eating the earth, literally gliding the turf. With Frankie Dettori spurring him on, he stormed home to win by six lengths, erasing the track record. Without doubt Dubai Millenium gave one of the most scintillating performances ever witnessed on racetrack, literally sweeping his rivals off their legs.It showcased supremacy or domination of racehorse over his contemporaries transcending surreal realms’. His triumph was a coronation, a stupendous performance leaving his rivals in complete obscurity, in the manner of leaves tossed by a gale.
Dubai Millennium then returned to Europe and with his typical front-running style, trounced the field in the G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, winning by no fewer than six lengths.Retirement and Death
Sadly, a serious injury sustained on the gallops forced the colt into premature retirement and he was to return to his birthplace to start his new career as a stallion at Dalham Hall Stud.
He retired with a Timeform rating of 140, the highest since Dancing Brave and the eighth highest awarded since the organisation was founded.
In April 2001, Dubai Millennium was diagnosed with grass sickness, a rare and deadly disease. The world held its breath as veterinarians strived to the very last inch to save him, but he could not be saved. On April 29, 2001, Dubai Millennium was euthanized. He was just five years old.
Legacy left behind
Though he left us far too soon, Dubai Millennium left behind an indelible legacy. From his short time at stud, he sired a single superstar—Dubawi, who became one of the most influential sires in modern racing history. Through Dubawi, Dubai Millennium’s bloodline carries on it’s legacy, producing champions across the globe. After following in his father’s footsteps when winning the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, having already won the G1 National Stakes at two and the Irish 2,000 Guineas earlier that year, Dubawi took up stud duties at Dalham Hall and has since become one of the most successful stallions in the world – a fitting tribute to his outstanding sire.
His name remains etched in history, who symbolised the horse of a lifetime—gone too soon, but never forgotten. Dubai Millennium did not just race, he reigned.Evaluation
In my personal View Dubai Millenium ranks amongst the dozen best racehorses ever to have set foot on the British race track, and arguably amongst the 2-3 best ever colts to race over a distance of ten furlongs in the British Isles. Over a middle distance of a mile and half he failed to stay.The horses he beat over ten furlongs, like the German Sumitas or the US horse Behrens in the Dubai World Cup were something like professional losers. Sumitas was trounced on numerous occasions prior to the race and afterwards as well and Behrens also never won another race.
Even when he (DM) won the QE II over a mile the horses that finished 2nd and 3rd to him never came close of winning another race on numerous attempts. Almushtarak was just a huge disappointment afterwards.
In my opinion Dubai Millennium was a very decent horse, but nowhere near greatness despite being a Dubai World Cup and a Royal Ascot winner.It’s sad that, even with all the research Sheik Mohammed instigated ( or so I believe if my memory is correct) there is still no cure for grass sickness and we still don’t really know exactly what causes it. I must admit to not really being aware of how great Dubai Millennium was when he was racing but I sure am glad that he produced Dubawi.
Very good but not an all time great as he was very much style over substance as his rivals were not (by and large) highly rated G1 performers. In his last four races, he beat:
Sumitas 8L in POW at Royal Ascot, Sumitas then went on to run a further eight times and lost each time including a 7L 5th to Giants Causeway in the Irish Champion Stakes. He only made the frame twice in those eight runs.
Behrens beaten 6L in the Dubai World Cup, Behrens was an admirable performer but often found wanting at the top level, he ran a further four times after without winning but did make the frame three times…..in his career he was placed more times (10) than he won (6) in a 22 race career.
The 118 rated Lear Spear was beaten 4½L in Sheikh Maktoum Challenge (and 19L in the Dubai World Cup) who when returning to the turf went on to finish 3rd 7L behind Giants Causeway in Juddmonte International and won a Doncaster Listed race over 12F but in a 27 race career he won only six times.
Almushtarak was beaten 6L in one of the worse renewals of the QE2 (just four runners the other two were rated 113 (Gold Academy) and 119 (Balisada), Almushtarak was rated as high as 120 (when winning the G2 Celebration Mile) but after the QE2 he ran a further seven times managing a 3rd placed effort in the G2 Sandown Mile. Of those other six races, he only managed to beat 7 of the 63 rivals he faced.
Agree with Ruby and LD here: Dubai Millennium was a very good horse, but not a great. Timeform’s 140 rating was a bit of a stretch, in my opinion.
There are 8 voters and 8 votes. I guess someone voted once and then changed the vote.
Can they even change there vote
I’ve always seen on polls threads when voted you have already voted no way to changeVf x
It seems unfair to judge a horse by the opponents it raced against, but Dubai Millennium’s legacy isn’t enhanced when you look at the fields that he beat.
He was a brilliant racehorse, but I struggle to put him among the very best for this reason. I think he still had untapped potential at the time of his forced retirement, and it is a great shame his career was cut short.
He was a strikingly beautiful horse, and certainly looked the part of a superstar.
I’ve always seen on polls threads when voted you have already voted no way to change
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