Millenary
Encyclopedia
Millenary is a retired British Thoroughbred
racehorse and active sire. He won the St. Leger Stakes
in 2000, and, unusually for a Classic winner, stayed in training until the age of eight, winning many important races over middle and long distances.
winner, Rainbow Quest, out of the minor winner Ballerina. Ballerina went on to produce two other notable horses, the Princess Royal Stakes
winner, Head in the Clouds, and Let The Lion Roar, who finished third in the 2004 Derby
. He was trained throughout his career by John Dunlop. He was ridden in most of his races up to the end of 2003 by Pat Eddery
, after which Richard Quinn was his regular jockey.
, finishing third in the Washington Singer Stakes
and fifth in the Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakes
in 1999.
Dropped down to maiden race company for his three year old debut, he recorded a first victory at Newbury before moving into Classic contention by winning the Chester Vase
. After the race, Millenary, described as "a big, gangly horse" by his trainer's representative was quoted at 25-1 for the Epsom Derby
. In the event, it was Sakhee
who represented the stable at Epsom with Millenary traveling to Chantilly
for the Prix du Jockey-Club where he finished unplaced behind Holding Court. Returning to England, he recorded a short-head win in the Gordon Stakes
, coming from last to first to catch Air Marshall close to the finish.
The St Leger
involved a rematch with Air Marshall, who had gone on to win the Great Voltigeur Stakes
. The two colts dominated the betting with Millenary being sent-off the 11-4 favourite ahead of Air Marshall at 3-1. The race reflected the betting, with Millenary taking the lead two furlongs out, being briefly headed by Air Marshall in the closing stages, but displaying superior stamina to stay on under pressure and win by three-quarters of a length. The winning time of 3:02.58 was the fastest for the race at Doncaster since Bahram
's win in 1935, which reflected the "unremitting gallop" at which the race had been run. Despite the pace of the race and the closely contested finish, Richard Quinn felt that he had "won with a bit to spare."
His best victory in 2001 came on his debut in the Jockey Club Stakes
, at Newmarket where he recorded comfortable win over Sandmason with Holding Court third and Air Marshall tailed-off in last place. The race led the BBC to suggest that he would be "a force to be reckoned with", while John Dunlop called Millenary "a lovely character and... a good ride". It proved, however, to be his only win of the season.
Millenary's most important success in 2002 came when he won the Princess of Wales's Stakes
, beating the Arc
runner-up Mubtaker by a neck. After the race he was a leading fancy for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but John Dunlop emphasised that the horse would not be risked on firm ground. In the event, he was re-routed to Köln, where he finished third in the Aral-Pokal
In 2003 he finished first, a nose in front Loxias, in the Prix Jean de Chaudenay
, but was disqualified after hanging badly to the right and interfering with the runner-up in the closing stages, despite the efforts of Pat Pat Eddery to keep him running in a straight line. In his next race he was fitted with blinkers
for the first time, and won a second Princess of Wales's Stakes with the beaten horses including the 2002 St Leger winner Bollin Eric and the leading three-year-old High Accolade (King Edward VII Stakes
). It was an "impressive" performance and afterwards Eddery praised the horse, saying that "his form has been top-class this year, and he picked them up really well today".
During this period, he was also placed in important races such as the Coronation Cup
, Irish St. Leger, Rheinland-Pokal
, Hardwicke Stakes
, Jockey Club Cup
and Geoffrey Freer Stakes
.
in the Jockey Club Cup, indicated the direction of his future career; from 2004 onwards, he was campaigned almost exclusively at long-distance events.
In 2004, he had his greatest success since his three-year old days. In May he won the Yorkshire Cup, "cruising" through the race and showing "a good turn of foot" to take the race by three lengths from Alcazar with the Ascot Gold Cup
winner Mr Dinos well beaten. In the autumn he returned to the scene of his St Leger win and dead-heated with Kasthari in a "thrilling" race for the Doncaster Cup. and the Jockey Club Cup. A month later he was "always cantering" in the Jockey Club Cup at Newmarket before taking the lead inside the final furlong and winning by three lengths. Commenting on a "wonderful season", Dunlop said of Millenary, "He might be a seven-year-old entire
, but he has retained all his ability and enthusiasm".
As an eight-year-old in 2005, he was as good again, winning the two more important staying races. At York in August for the Lonsdale Cup
he was held up in last place before quickening to lead and go clear inside the final furlong, beating the odds-on favourite Distinction by two and a half lengths. "I am absolutely thrilled to bits", said Dunlop afterwards, "he has been a wonderful servant". Three weeks later he recorded his last win, again coming from last to first to win the Doncaster Cup for a second year. John Dunlop was visibly moved by the horse's victory and again paid tribute to his winner: "He's amazing...so genuine". After one more race, a third place in the Jockey Club Cup, Millenary was retired to stud.
In 2004 Millenary was rated the fourth best stayer of any age in the world in the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
with a rating of 117.
He was given the same rating in 2005, this time placing him third in the world in his his division. His highest Timeform
figure was 124.
,Ireland. He has been used as a National Hunt
stallion. As such, his success is not currently measurable as few of his offspring have appeared on the racecourse (as of September 2011). He appears to be a true-breeding bay.
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 and active sire. He won the St. Leger Stakes
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 2000, and, unusually for a Classic winner, stayed in training until the age of eight, winning many important races over middle and long distances.
Background
Millenary was bred by his owner, Neil Jones's Abergwaun Farms breeding operation. He was sired by the Prix de l'Arc de TriomphePrix 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...
winner, Rainbow Quest, out of the minor winner Ballerina. Ballerina went on to produce two other notable horses, the Princess Royal Stakes
Princess Royal Stakes
The British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs...
winner, Head in the Clouds, and Let The Lion Roar, who finished third in the 2004 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...
. He was trained throughout his career by John Dunlop. He was ridden in most of his races up to the end of 2003 by Pat Eddery
Pat Eddery
Patrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...
, after which Richard Quinn was his regular jockey.
1999-2000: early career
Unlike most racehorses, Millenary began his career in Listed racesConditions 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...
, finishing third in the Washington Singer Stakes
Washington Singer Stakes
The Washington Singer Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...
and fifth in the Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakes
Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakes
The Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakes is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
in 1999.
Dropped down to maiden race company for his three year old debut, he recorded a first victory at Newbury before moving into Classic contention by winning the Chester Vase
Chester Vase
The Chester Vase is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Chester over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 66 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
. After the race, Millenary, described as "a big, gangly horse" by his trainer's representative was quoted at 25-1 for 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...
. In the event, it was Sakhee
Sakhee
Sakhee is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by the racing interests of Dubai's Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum, his sire Bahri was almost exclusively a miler who won two Group One races at that distance...
who represented the stable at Epsom with Millenary traveling to Chantilly
Chantilly Racecourse
Chantilly Racecourse is a Thoroughbred turf racecourse for flat racing in Chantilly, Oise, France, about north of the centre of the city of Paris....
for the Prix du Jockey-Club where he finished unplaced behind Holding Court. Returning to England, he recorded a short-head win in the Gordon Stakes
Gordon Stakes
The Gordon Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August....
, coming from last to first to catch Air Marshall close to the finish.
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...
involved a rematch with Air Marshall, who had gone on to win the Great Voltigeur Stakes
Great Voltigeur Stakes
The Great Voltigeur Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
. The two colts dominated the betting with Millenary being sent-off the 11-4 favourite ahead of Air Marshall at 3-1. The race reflected the betting, with Millenary taking the lead two furlongs out, being briefly headed by Air Marshall in the closing stages, but displaying superior stamina to stay on under pressure and win by three-quarters of a length. The winning time of 3:02.58 was the fastest for the race at Doncaster since Bahram
Bahram
Bahrām or Vahrām meaning "smiting of resistance" or "victorious", may refer to:* Bahrām, the Zoroastrian divinity that is the hypostasis of victory.-Historic people:* one of the Sassanid kings by that name:** Bahrām I, r. 273-276....
's win in 1935, which reflected the "unremitting gallop" at which the race had been run. Despite the pace of the race and the closely contested finish, Richard Quinn felt that he had "won with a bit to spare."
2001-2003: Middle distance races
For the next three seasons, Millenary was campaigned in top-class middle distance events all over Europe.His best victory in 2001 came on his debut in the Jockey Club Stakes
Jockey Club Stakes
The Jockey Club Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs at Newmarket, and the final part of the race is on the Rowley Mile...
, at Newmarket where he recorded comfortable win over Sandmason with Holding Court third and Air Marshall tailed-off in last place. The race led the BBC to suggest that he would be "a force to be reckoned with", while John Dunlop called Millenary "a lovely character and... a good ride". It proved, however, to be his only win of the season.
Millenary's most important success in 2002 came when he won the Princess of Wales's Stakes
Princess of Wales's Stakes
The Princess of Wales's Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:The event is named in...
, beating the Arc
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...
runner-up Mubtaker by a neck. After the race he was a leading fancy for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but John Dunlop emphasised that the horse would not be risked on firm ground. In the event, he was re-routed to Köln, where he finished third in the Aral-Pokal
In 2003 he finished first, a nose in front Loxias, in the Prix Jean de Chaudenay
Prix Jean de Chaudenay
The Prix Jean de Chaudenay was a Group 2 flat horse race in France which was open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It was run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it was scheduled to take place each year in May or June....
, but was disqualified after hanging badly to the right and interfering with the runner-up in the closing stages, despite the efforts of Pat Pat Eddery to keep him running in a straight line. In his next race he was fitted with blinkers
Blinders
Blinders, also known as blinkers or winkers, are a piece of horse tack that prevent the horse seeing to the rear and, in some cases, to the side. They usually are made of leather or plastic cups that are placed on either side of the eyes, either attached to a bridle or to an independent hood...
for the first time, and won a second Princess of Wales's Stakes with the beaten horses including the 2002 St Leger winner Bollin Eric and the leading three-year-old High Accolade (King Edward VII Stakes
King Edward VII Stakes
The King Edward VII Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. 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....
). It was an "impressive" performance and afterwards Eddery praised the horse, saying that "his form has been top-class this year, and he picked them up really well today".
During this period, he was also placed in important races such as 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....
, Irish St. Leger, Rheinland-Pokal
Rheinland-Pokal
The Rheinland-Pokal is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Galopprennbahn Cologne-Weidenpesch, Cologne over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.The event was established in 1957,...
, 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:...
, Jockey Club Cup
Jockey Club Cup
The British Champions Long Distance Cup, formerly known as the Jockey Club Cup, is a Group 3 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 2 miles...
and Geoffrey Freer Stakes
Geoffrey Freer Stakes
The Geoffrey Freer Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 5 furlongs and 61 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:The event was established in 1949, and it...
.
2004-20006: Staying races
Millenary's last race of 2003, a short-head defeat to the double Champion Stayer Persian PunchPersian Punch
Persian Punch was a Thoroughbred racehorse trained in the United Kingdom. He was frequently heralded by the Racing Post and his fans as the most popular horse in training during the final years of his career. He had his own fan club and website....
in the Jockey Club Cup, indicated the direction of his future career; from 2004 onwards, he was campaigned almost exclusively at long-distance events.
In 2004, he had his greatest success since his three-year old days. In May he won the Yorkshire Cup, "cruising" through the race and showing "a good turn of foot" to take the race by three lengths from Alcazar with the Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
winner Mr Dinos well beaten. In the autumn he returned to the scene of his St Leger win and dead-heated with Kasthari in a "thrilling" race for the Doncaster Cup. and the Jockey Club Cup. A month later he was "always cantering" in the Jockey Club Cup at Newmarket before taking the lead inside the final furlong and winning by three lengths. Commenting on a "wonderful season", Dunlop said of Millenary, "He might be a seven-year-old entire
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
, but he has retained all his ability and enthusiasm".
As an eight-year-old in 2005, he was as good again, winning the two more important staying races. At York in August for the Lonsdale Cup
Lonsdale Cup
The Lonsdale Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 2 miles and 88 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
he was held up in last place before quickening to lead and go clear inside the final furlong, beating the odds-on favourite Distinction by two and a half lengths. "I am absolutely thrilled to bits", said Dunlop afterwards, "he has been a wonderful servant". Three weeks later he recorded his last win, again coming from last to first to win the Doncaster Cup for a second year. John Dunlop was visibly moved by the horse's victory and again paid tribute to his winner: "He's amazing...so genuine". After one more race, a third place in the Jockey Club Cup, Millenary was retired to stud.
Assessment
In 2000 Millenary (116) was the highest-rated three-year-old stayer (Extended Distance division) in the International Classification drawn up by the International Classification Committee and the North American Rating Committee. This was not, however, a "World Championship", as it did not include horses from the Southern Hemisphere.In 2004 Millenary was rated the fourth best stayer of any age in the world in the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
2004 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...
with a rating of 117.
He was given the same rating in 2005, this time placing him third in the world in his his division. His highest Timeform
Timeform
Timeform Publications is a publishing company in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England founded in 1948 to provide information to fans, bettors, and others involved in the horse racing industry...
figure was 124.
Stud career
Millenary was retired at the end of 2005 to stand at stud at the Knockhouse Stud in KilkennyCounty Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
,Ireland. He has been used as a National Hunt
National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
stallion. As such, his success is not currently measurable as few of his offspring have appeared on the racecourse (as of September 2011). He appears to be a true-breeding bay.