Dubai: Monterosso's stunning victory in Saturday's Dubai World Cup (Group 1) at Meydan was special in more ways than one.
While giving the Dubai-owned Godolphin stable their first success in the race in six years, he has also kept alive the legacy of one of the contest's most outstanding winners.
Monterosso's grandsire was Dubai Millennium — who stormed to victory in the Dubai World Cup in 2000. He is a homebred of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who once said that Dubai Millennium was the ‘best horse' he ever owned.
Both Monterosso and the runner-up Capponi are homebreds of Shaikh Mohammad's Dalham Hall stud farm in England, which stands the successful stallion Dubawi, a son of Dubai Millennium and the sire of Monterosso. While Dubai Millennium died after contracting grass sickness in 2001, Dubawi enjoys a career as one of Darley's top stallions.
