Dubai “He is the best horse we have ever had. He is a true Champion and I have never seen or owned a horse like him,” said His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, after Dubai Millennium won the fifth running of the Dubai World Cup (G1).
“The way he trains, the way he looks. He is quite outstanding. There is no horse like this horse,” said Shaikh Mohammad heaping praise on the horse he bred at his Dalham Hall Stud in Suffolk, England.
The Dubai World Cup victory was meant to be.
Orginally christened Yaazer (meaning ‘white gazelle’), Shaikh Mohammad renamed the colt Dubai Millennium, when he realised his star-potential and with the hope of him winning the Dubai World Cup at the beginning of the new millennium.
Dubai Millennium delivered on the promise and the 6 length victory he scored over American raider Behrens, provided further evidence to Shaikh Mohammad’s extraordinary farsightedness.
From the moment the gates flew open at Nad Al Sheba for the first running of the Dubai World Cup with its new purse of $5 million (Dh18 million), Dubai Millennium began to dominate his 12 rivals.
After breaking well from an outside post, he soon secured the lead and never looked like conceding it. Always travelling strongly Saeed Bin Surour’s trainee was still on the bridle entering the home straight before he began to quicken as the post began to loom.
The acceleration he exhibited was stunning and it was soon clear that the battle among the rest of the field would be for the minor placings.
Dubai Millennium flashed past the winning post six lengths clear of the multiple Grade winner Behrens, who was 5 ½ lengths clear of fellow American hope Public Purse, while Puerto Madero beat Ecton Park by a head to claim fourth place.
The bravura in which Dubai Millennium strode beyond the barriers of expectation, was without doubt a classic act that the world’s richest race had yet to see.
Sheikh Mohammad was so inspired by his performance that he proposed Dubai Millennium race against the phenomenal Prix de l’Arc de Triomophe (G1) and King George (G1) winner in a unique one-against-one race with $6million as the prize.
However, the great match would not materialise as Dubai Millennium suffered a broken leg (a “lateral condylar fracture”) in training. His life was saved by an operation but his racing career was over.
He was subsequently retired to his birth place, Dalham Hall Stud, where his stallion fee was set at a princely fee of £100,000 (Dh551,932).
However, in April 2001, Dubai Millennium became seriously ill with what was diagnosed as grass sickness. Intensive veterinary treatment and three operations followed in an attempt to save the champion. But it was not to be. Dubai Millennium was euthanized on April 20, and buried at the Dalham Hall Stud.
