Doyen (horse)

Doyen
Racing colours of Godolphin
Sire	Sadler's Wells
Grandsire	Northern Dancer
Dam	Moon Cactus
Damsire	Kris
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	2000
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Sheikh Mohammed
Owner	Sheikh Mohammed
Trainer	André Fabre Saeed bin Suroor
Record	13:5-2-0
Earnings	£708,623
Major wins
Prix du Lys (2003) Hardwicke Stakes (2004) King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2004)
Last updated on 25 July 2010

Doyen (foaled 22 April 2000) 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.

Doyen is a tall, rangy bay horse with a large white star, 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 full brother to the Oaks winner Moonshell.

Doyen was originally sent into training with André Fabre 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.

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 at 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.