'An exciting time for Manton Park' - Group 1 winner Dubai Mile retired to stud for 2024

Dubai Mile, winner of last year's Criterium de Saint-Cloud, has been retired from racing and will join the Manton Park stallion team for 2024. 

The son of the ill-fated Roaring Lion was expected to train on next year for Freddie and Martyn Meade after a move to Manton Estate, but he suffered a career-ending injury during routine exercise. 

He won on his second start at two for Charlie and Mark Johnston before a four-length win at Kempton and then a half-length second to The Foxes in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket. His career highlight came when defeating subsequent dual Group 3 winner and St Leger second Arrest in the Saint-Cloud Group 1 last October. 

Bred by the late Lady O’Reilly’s Skymarc Farm out of the Listed-winning and Group 1-placed High Chaparral mare Beach Bunny, Dubai Mile is a half-brother to eight winners. They include dual stakes scorer and Group-placed Naadirr and Listed winner Beach Belle, the dam of Australian Group 2 winner Surf Dancer. 

Dubai Mile will be the first son of Roaring Lion to stand at stud and was his late sire's breakthrough top-level winner. The €20,000 Goffs Orby graduate was also a strong-staying fifth in this year's 2,000 Guineas. 

Dubai Mile on a racecourse gallop at NewmarketCredit: Edward Whitaker

Martyn Meade, the joint-owner of Dubai Mile and owner of Manton Park, said: "We were disappointed in having to bring Dubai Mile’s racing career to an end sooner than expected as he had been training so well prior to sustaining a career-ending injury at home on the gallops. We are, however, delighted to be adding Dubai Mile to our stallion roster and are confident he will sire many high-class performers. 

"Roaring Lion was very special and a champion in his own right; to have his first Group 1-winning progeny from his only crop standing here is an exciting time for Manton Park Stud. Dubai Mile was very tough on the racecourse and we are very much looking forward to the next phase of his career at stud."

Regular rider Danny Muscutt added: "Dubai Mile was a real professional from the get-go when I won on him on his second start. He was very versatile ground-wise, including on the all-weather. 

"He would find a very easy rhythm straight from the stalls but would really switch on at the business end of a race, as he showed when winning his Group 1 at Saint-Cloud. He was very brave that day and refused to be beaten by Arrest on that occasion. He also ran very well in the 2,000 Guineas."

Dubai Mile will stand at Manton Park Stud alongside Aclaim – sire of 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet – Advertise and Technician. A fee will be announced at a later date.

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