Doyen (horse)
Encyclopedia
Doyen is a retired Thoroughbred
racehorse, who was bred in Ireland
but trained in France
, Dubai
and the United Kingdom
during a racing career which lasted from 2002 to 2005. He is best known for winning the 2004 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
, bred at the Kildangan Stud in Ireland by his owner Sheikh Mohammed
and raised at the Dalham Hall
Stud at Newmarket. He was sired by Sadler's Wells out of the mare Moon Cactus, making him a half-brother to the Oaks
winner Moonshell.
in France. He was not a precocious colt and did not appear on a racecourse until the autumn of 2002, when he ran fifth in a minor event for unraced horses at Maisons-Laffitte
.
Saint-Cloud
, he won the Listed
Coupe des Trois Ans at Lyon-Parilly "easily" by two lengths. Moved up to Group Race standard for the first time in June 2004, he outpaced his opponents to record a four length win in the Prix du Lys
at Longchamp.
On Doyen's next start he ran in the Prix Niel
at Longchamp in September. As usual the race attracted a top-class field, including the Prix du Jockey-Club winner, Dalakhani
and the Epsom Derby
winner, Kris Kin
. Doyen raced in last place in the early stages, before moving into contention in the straight. He was the horse to seriously challenge Dalakhani, finishing a length and a half behind the Aga Khan
's colt, with Kris Kin well beaten in third. On his final start of the year he was made 11-2 third favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
. He raced prominently, before being moved wide to make a challenge in the straight, but although he stayed on well he was unable to reach the lead, and finished fourth to Dalakhani.
he ran second to Warrsan
in the Coronation Cup
at Epsom. He was then sent to Royal Ascot for the Hardwicke Stakes
, where he produced his best performance to date, taking the lead in the straight and pulling clear to win by six lengths in a course record time of 2:26.53. Frankie Dettori
, riding the colt for the fifth time was enthusiastic- "What a performance - he just took my breath away,".
So impressive was Doyen's victory that he was made clear favourite for the following month's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes over the same course and distance, and he was even blamed for the absence of top-class three-year-olds in the race. On the day, he fully justified his reputation, winning by an easy three lengths in a style described the The Independent's correspondent as " simply magnificent". Dettori praised the colt saying, "I have never had a horse travel like he did today...he was absolutely devastating".
The King George win could have been the first of many Group One successes, and Sheikh Mohammed
missed seeing his colt Rule of Law win the St Leger
in order to watch Doyen run in the Irish Champion Stakes
. He started odds-on favourite but ran poorly, failing to produce his usual acceleration and finishing seventh. The Champion Stakes
saw a similar disappointment, with Doyen again starting favourite but finishing well beaten behind Haafhd
.
Three more unplaced efforts in 2005 saw him retired to stud.
Doyen was awarded a figure of 127, making him the third best racehorse in the world, the highest-rated European and the highest-rated turf performer.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse, who was bred in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
but trained in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during a racing career which lasted from 2002 to 2005. He is best known for winning the 2004 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Background
Doyen is a tall, rangy bay horse with a large white starHorse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
, bred at the Kildangan Stud in Ireland by his owner Sheikh Mohammed
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , also Sheikh Mohammed, , is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates , and absolute monarch of Dubai.-Personal life and education:...
and raised at the Dalham Hall
Dalham Hall
Dalham Hall is a Grade 2 listed country house and estate, located in the village of Dalham, Suffolk, near Newmarket, and west of Bury St Edmunds....
Stud at Newmarket. He was sired by Sadler's Wells out of the mare Moon Cactus, making him a half-brother to the Oaks
Epsom Oaks
The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early June....
winner Moonshell.
2002: two-year-old season
Doyen was originally sent into training with André FabreAndré Fabre
André Fabre is a French thoroughbred horse racing trainer.The son of a diplomat, Fabre graduated from university with a law degree but then decided to pursue a career in thoroughbred horse racing. He began by working in the stables as a groom then as a schooling rider...
in France. He was not a precocious colt and did not appear on a racecourse until the autumn of 2002, when he ran fifth in a minor event for unraced horses at Maisons-Laffitte
Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse
The Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte at 1 avenue de la Pelouse in the northwestern Parisian suburb of Maisons-Laffitte in France is a turf horse racing facility and track for Thoroughbred flat racing...
.
2003: three-year-old season
At three, Doyen proved himself to be a top-class middle-distance performer in a campaign which saw him moved up in grade with each race. After capturing a minor race atSaint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud Racecourse
Hippodrome de Saint-Cloud is a grass race course for Thoroughbred flat horse racing opened in 1901 at 1 rue du Camp Canadien in Saint-Cloud near Paris, France...
, he won the Listed
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
Coupe des Trois Ans at Lyon-Parilly "easily" by two lengths. Moved up to Group Race standard for the first time in June 2004, he outpaced his opponents to record a four length win in the Prix du Lys
Prix du Lys
The Prix du Lys is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Chantilly over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...
at Longchamp.
On Doyen's next start he ran in the Prix Niel
Prix Niel
The Prix Niel is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
at Longchamp in September. As usual the race attracted a top-class field, including the Prix du Jockey-Club winner, Dalakhani
Dalakhani
Dalakhani is a thoroughbred race horse owned and bred by Aga Khan IV and trained by Alain de Royer-Dupré. He was sired by Darshaan covering Daltawa and is therefore half-brother to Daylami....
and the Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
winner, Kris Kin
Kris Kin
Kris Kin is a retired Thoroughbred race horse, and active sire. He was bred in the United States but was trained in England during his racing career. In a career that lasted just over a year, from October 2002 to October 2003, he ran seven times and won three races, most notably the Epsom Derby in...
. Doyen raced in last place in the early stages, before moving into contention in the straight. He was the horse to seriously challenge Dalakhani, finishing a length and a half behind the Aga Khan
Aga Khan IV
Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, NPk, NI, KBE, CC, GCC, GCIH, GCM is the 49th and current Imam of the Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslims. He has held this position under the title of Aga Khan since July 11, 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan...
's colt, with Kris Kin well beaten in third. On his final start of the year he was made 11-2 third favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
. He raced prominently, before being moved wide to make a challenge in the straight, but although he stayed on well he was unable to reach the lead, and finished fourth to Dalakhani.
2004: four-year-old season
In the winter of 2003/4 Doyen was transferred from France to the Sheikh's Godolphin stable. On his debut for Saeed bin SuroorSaeed bin Suroor
Saeed bin Suroor , is a horse racing trainer. Formerly a policeman, he took out his training license in 1994 and the following year was appointed as the trainer for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation....
he ran second to Warrsan
Warrsan
Warrsan was a Thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Ireland who competed in Europe and Asia. Owned and bred by Saeed Manana of the United Arab Emirates, he was sired by Caerleon, a son of the great Nijinsky, and out of the mare, Lucayan Princess.Conditioned by veteran trainer Clive Brittain, throughout...
in the Coronation Cup
Coronation Cup
The Coronation Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
at Epsom. He was then sent to Royal Ascot for the Hardwicke Stakes
Hardwicke Stakes
The Hardwicke Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...
, where he produced his best performance to date, taking the lead in the straight and pulling clear to win by six lengths in a course record time of 2:26.53. Frankie Dettori
Frankie Dettori
Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...
, riding the colt for the fifth time was enthusiastic- "What a performance - he just took my breath away,".
So impressive was Doyen's victory that he was made clear favourite for the following month's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes over the same course and distance, and he was even blamed for the absence of top-class three-year-olds in the race. On the day, he fully justified his reputation, winning by an easy three lengths in a style described the The Independent's correspondent as " simply magnificent". Dettori praised the colt saying, "I have never had a horse travel like he did today...he was absolutely devastating".
The King George win could have been the first of many Group One successes, and Sheikh Mohammed
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , also Sheikh Mohammed, , is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates , and absolute monarch of Dubai.-Personal life and education:...
missed seeing his colt Rule of Law win the St Leger
St. Leger Stakes
The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
in order to watch Doyen run in the Irish Champion Stakes
Irish Champion Stakes
The Irish Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:The event was established in 1976, and...
. He started odds-on favourite but ran poorly, failing to produce his usual acceleration and finishing seventh. The Champion Stakes
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October...
saw a similar disappointment, with Doyen again starting favourite but finishing well beaten behind Haafhd
Haafhd
Haafhd is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse and active stallion, best known for winning the 2000 Guineas and Champion Stakes in 2004.-Background:...
.
Three more unplaced efforts in 2005 saw him retired to stud.
Assessment
In the 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings was the inaugural edition of the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings. It is an assessment of racehorses which was issued by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities in January 2005...
Doyen was awarded a figure of 127, making him the third best racehorse in the world, the highest-rated European and the highest-rated turf performer.
Stud career
Doyen was retired to stand at his owner's Dalham Hall Stud at Newmarket. In 2009 he was transferred to Gestüt Auenquelle in Germany. To date, his best product has been Lady's Purse who won the 2010 Prix de RoyaumontPrix de Royaumont
The Prix de Royaumont is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Chantilly over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May or early June.-History:...