Horse racing: Dubai Millennium dies

Dubai Millennium has lost his week-long battle with grass sickness, it was announced today.

Godolphin’s European horse of the year in 2000 died last night at the age of five.

Owner Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock adviser John Ferguson said: "Dubai Millennium became uncomfortable on Sunday and it was evident that a third emergency surgery was necessary".

The surgery was carried out by Huw Neal and Dr Dan Hawkins at Greenwood, Ellis Partners in Newmarket.

But Ferguson explained: "It soon became clear that there were complications of the intestinal tract that were inoperable.

"His prospects were hopeless and on humane grounds Dubai Millennium was not allowed to recover from the anaesthetic.

"The horse was the most marvellous patient and everyone who knew him is very sad to see him go."

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

The horse was apparently destined for greatness from the day Sheikh Mohammed changed his name from Yaazer to Dubai Millennium after hearing of his prowess on David Loder’s gallops at Newmarket.

He announced himself with a runaway win in a maiden at Yarmouth on his debut as a two-year-old before joining his owner’s Dubai-based operation to winter in the sun.

And the horse proved a fine standard-bearer for his country on his return in 1999, when he won five of his six starts and proved himself Europe’s top three-year-old miler with wins in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Prix Jacques le Marois.

He appeared not to stay the mile-and-a-half trip in the Derby. Sent off favourite he could finish only ninth, suffering what turned out to be the only defeat of his career.

But Dubai Millennium proved himself a world-beater - literally - over 10 furlongs last year.

He ran away with the 2000 Dubai World Cup - a race Sheikh Mohammed reportedly had in mind when changing the horse’s name.

And he put up a breath-taking display to land the Group One Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot by no less than eight lengths.

But just as a match with French champion Montjeu was being planned last August Dubai Millennium fractured a leg on the gallops and had to be retired.

He went to stud the winner of nine career races and £2.75m in prize money.

He had covered a reported three-quarters of his first book of mares when he was struck down by the grass sickness which ultimately claimed his life.