By Elaine Belval
When Dubai Millennium died after only one season at stud, it seemed the end of the line for this amazing racehorse and his potential as a sireline.
However, it seems Dubawi and his son Makfi refused to get that message. Makfi upset favorite Goldikova in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Sunday, winning for the fourth time in five starts. Earlier in the year Makfi had won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. The same weekend, Dubase won the Grand Handicap de Deauville for her first stakes win of the year.
Dubawi was bred by Darley Stud. He won all three of his starts at two, including the G1 National Stakes at the Curragh. At three he won the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and finished a solid third in the 12-furlong G1 English Derby to Motivator. Dubawi’s dam was the Champion Zomaradah, winner of the G1 Italian Oaks and third in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Dubawi proved very popular, with over 100 foals in his first crop, foals of 2007. He was a leading European first crop sire in 2009, his best runners including Poet’s Voice, winner of the prestigious Champagne S. at Doncaster, and Sand Vixen, winner of the five-furlong G2 Flying Childers S.
However, 2010 has proven a breakout year for Dubawi, with only his first crop 3yos. He has nine SWs this year, seven are first-time SWs. They include two classic winners (Makfi and Worthadd, winner of the Derby Italiano). He has sired SWs from five to 12 furlongs. In fact, with only two crops of racing age, Dubawi is ranked in the top 10 on the European sires list (ranking ahead of such stallions as Pivotal, Invincible Spirit, and Rock of Gibraltar). He is also a top 10 sire of 2-year-olds, with two 2010 2-year-old SWs including GSW Irish Field.
With this early success, Dubawi seems destined for a long and fruitful stallion career, doing his sire proud.
Dubawi stood for £20,000 at Dalham Hall Stud in England in 2010.
As a final note, Makfi makes an interesting future stallion prospect. Very well-bred, Makfi was an amazing find at the 2009 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training sale as an unraced two-year-old, bought for approximately $40,000. He is from the same female family as sires Green Dancer and Soviet Lad, and he was a Shadwell Farm cull.
Click here for video of Makfi’s win the the Jacques le Marois
Click here to read more about Dubawi.
(Elaine Belval is senior pedigree analyst at WTC.)
It’s truly an extraordinary story of a line continuing against adversity. Looks to be the line for Seeking the Gold too.