The Godolphin Gallery officially opened in the lead up to the 1999 running of the Dubai World Cup and was named, like the racing stable, after the Godolphin Arabian - one of the three founding stallions of the modern thoroughbred.
Ideally located at Nad Al Sheba racecourse on the outskirts of Dubai, the Godolphin Gallery is home to the treasures captured by the Godolphin racing stable in their global campaign to race the finest thoroughbreds in the world.
On display is every major trophy won by Godolphin's leading horses since Balanchine became their first Group One winner in the 1994 Oaks at Epsom, England. A further 131 Group/Grade One victories spanning eleven different countries have followed and all the leading horses are showcased with an obvious highlight being that of Dubai Millennium, course record holder and winner of the 2000 Dubai World Cup.
A life-size portrait of Dubai Millennium is on display, which was unveiled in the Gallery in March 2006. The Statue, commissioned by Dubai International Capital was modelled by Madame Tussauds in London and it recreates the moment when Dubai Millennium, with Frankie Dettori in the saddle, passed the winning post for his greatest victory in the Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba in 2000.
Interactive touch screen windows provide jockey Frankie Dettori's comments on Dubai Millennium, Daylami and Lammtarra, along with a narration of their careers by the BBC's John Inverdale as well as a pedigree assessment by Timeform's Jim McGrath. In addition, visitors can also relive the 131 Group/Grade One victories (1994 to 2006) won by Godolphin from around the world.
Trophies won by the best internationally known horses such as Discreet Cat, Librettist, Cherry Mix, Sulamani and Shamardal feature strongly in many displays, in addition to past champions like Classic and multiple Group One winner, Dubawi and former Emirates World Series champion Fantastic Light as does the unbeaten Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, Lammtarra. Accompanied by a variety of racing photographs depicting special victories with written accounts detailing their races, it is hoped any visitor will leave enlightened from their experience.
The cinema area located in the centre of the Gallery shows two films; One Man's Vision, a unique documentary, narrated by Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman, which takes an unprecedented look at Godolphin and an interview with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and The Millennium Moment, which follows the creation of the Madame Tussauds life-size portrait of Dubai Millennium.
This unique Gallery, the inspiration of the late Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with its collection of glittering trophies, photographic memorabilia and interactive audio-visual presentations is a celebration of all that Godolphin has achieved and should not be missed by any racing fan who is either a resident or a visitor in Dubai.
The Gallery is currently closed as it will move to a new home in 2010 when it becomes part of Meydan, the UAE’s new iconic horseracing city.