Breeding and early career
Millennium year marked what was to prove a vintage European flat season, and the outstanding middle-distance colt of his generation was Sinndar.
Trained by the master of Currabeg, Co. Kildare, John Oxx, the bay son of Grand Lodge represented the Aga Khan's towering bloodstock empire.
A breeding operation that has stood the test of time, with a history and tradition like no other, the Aga Khan has been one of the most dominant and influential figures in thoroughbred breeding, since he inherited the family's stud farms in the 1960s.
The Aga has created bloodlines and sources since then to establish himself as Europe's most successful owner-breeder, and Sinndar was yet another outstanding produce from the Aga's broodmare empire, the colt being out of the Lashkari mare, Sinntara, an influence for stamina.
Sinndar appeared twice in his two-year-old season of 1999, winning on both occasions at The Curragh, the second of those two starts coming in the Group 1 National Stakes, where he displayed the courage and stamina that was to ultimately prove hallmarks of his qualities in his classic year.
Sinndar suffered the only defeat of his 8-race career on his reapperarence at Leopardstown in April 2000, and returned to the Dublin track the following month to win the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial in hard-fought fashion.
The Derby
So it was onto Epsom in June, Derby Day, and a glorious Summer's day for the first Blue Riband of the new century.
The occasion had a somewhat 'hamlet without the prince' scenario, as King's Best, brilliant winner of the 2,000 Guineas, suffered a late training setback and was ruled out of the premier classic.
Sinndar was sent off joint fourth favourite in a field of 15, and under a great ride from Johnny Murtagh the colt's courage and stamina once again came to the fore, as he stayed on best of all to defeat Sakhee by a length, with Beat Hollow and Best Of The Bests taking the placings.
Time would show that both first and second would both go on to success in the Prix de l"Arc de Triomphe.
Irish Derby
Sinndar was the first Irish trained Derby winner since Secrecto in 1984, and now he would bid to emulate the Aga Khan's three previous Derby winners - Shergar, Shahrastani and Khayasi - by completing the Derby double at The Curragh.
Amoung the opposition in the Irish Derby were British trained Holding Court, runaway winner of the Prix du Jockey Club, and King's Best- the Guineas winner.
In complete contrast to Epsom Derby day, the Curragh classic was ran on a day borrowed from an Irish Winter, and run on much softer ground than the Epsom race, but, with the John Oxx pacemakers headed by Raypour making it a gruelling test, Sinndar came home to truimph by nine lengths from the Aidan O'Brien pair Glyndebourne and Ciro.
Once again, Sinndar had to work hard, but once on top he came away clear to dominate what appeared, on reflection, to be a pretty weak renewal of Ireland's premier classic.
Nevertheless, he had emulated the Aga's three previous Derby winners by completing the English/Irish Derby double, and became the twelfth horse to complete the double.
The Arc
The decision was taken by connections to miss the King George at Ascot, and give Sinndar a mid-season break with the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe the big Autumn target.
He reappeared for the colt's Arc trial, the Prix Niel, at Longchamp, and recorded his most impressive performance to date, coasting to an eight-length victory, sparkling in the late Summer Paris sunshine.
He looked in superb condition and returned to Longchamp three weeks later for the Arc, Europe's most prestigious all-age, middle-distance contest, which had only a ten-runner field.
It appeared a head-to-head clash between Sinndar and Montjeu - the outstanding older horse of the year, and a breathtaking winner of the King George.
Montjeu performed below his best in finishing fourth, but Sinndar was once again admirably brave in victory as he held off the fast finishing French filly Egyptband, with Volvoreta third.
Fast ground at Longchamp, together with a strong pace, had contributed to Sinndar recording the second fastest winning time - 2min 25.80sec- in the glittering history of the race.
Egyptband had earlier been successful in the Prix de Diane, and further behind Sinndar came the German Derby winner, Samum.
Sinndar was the first colt to carry his owner's famous red and green silks to Arc success, the Aga having won it in 1982 with the filly Akiyda, and he had achieved the Derby-Arc double, only completed by Sea Bird, Mill Reef, and Lammtarra in the post-war era.
Legacy
Sinndar never possessed the brilliance of Sea Bird or Nijinsky, he never displayed a dazzling turn of foot like Mill Reef or Dancing Brave could produce, but he was a strong staying, genuine colt, with the perfect big-race temperament, from an illustrious family.
Officially rated at 132, he was the best of his generation at a mile-and-a-half, and remains one of the best colts to have represented his owner.
SINNDAR
