The world's most successful active stallion, Dubawi, achieved another major milestone on Saturday by siring his 250th individual Stakes winner when Godolphin homebred Lake Lucerne, who began his career as a 2yo with John Gosden, achieved that landmark success when running out a cosy winner of the 1700m Listed Albert M Stall Memorial Stakes on fast turf at Fair Grounds for Brendan Walsh and Tyler Gaffalione.

That victory means that Dubawi, recently crowned Champion Sire in Britain and Ireland, has now achieved 599 Stakes wins in total. A whopping 53 horses by him have scored at the highest level, with many serving to harden Dubawi's reputation as a sire of sires, which leading bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud has explained is one of the most pleasing aspects of the evergreen 21yo’s influence.

He said: “Dubawi is just an unbelievable stallion. To be a sire of sires, which he is, it's unprecedented really. His own sire, Dubai Millennium, was a very special horse for everyone at Godolphin and it's wonderful that the line is continuing. We have Dubawi and his sons who will continue. “There is New Bay, Zarak, Night Of Thunder and lots of other young sires coming through like Ghaiyyath and Space Blues who are all by him.

There's a lot to look forward to.” Stroud added: “I don't think you could ever get tired of speaking about a stallion who is so on top of his game like Dubawi is. He has been a consistent sire at the highest level.” Stroud has purchased a large portion of Godolphin's yearlings at public auction in recent years and, alongside Sheikh Mohammed, returned to the market at Book 1 at Tattersalls last year to snap up 14 yearlings to the tune of just over 13,000,000gns by the dominant stallion.

FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT

He added: “It's a great landmark to have achieved but, in racing, you never look backwards and always push forward. Yes, 250 is great, but there is still more to come from him. The great thing about Dubawi is his versatility. He can sire class horses over 6f, a mile or any distance. It's remarkable really. Another thing, they all seem to have very good minds.

They have wonderful temperaments.” Of the 250 individual Stakes winners sired by Dubawi, 133 were colts or geldings and, in terms of Group or Graded winners, 98 have been achieved by colts or geldings and 65 by fillies or mares. He continued: “It was fitting a Godolphin runner helped him reach the milestone; the homebreds are the backbone to the operation. They are key to any successful racing operation. The homebreds are the spine.” He is standing this year at a staggering fee of £350,000, a healthy increase of £100,000 from the £250,000 he had commanded since 2017.