Events / Malcolm Pannett / 17 September 2009 /

The Mill Reef Stakes commemorates one of the best, and most popular, Derby winners of the last 50 years. Anyone who witnessed Geoff Lewis, adorned in the black and gold colours of Paul Mellon, being swept majestically to victory aboard the son of Never Bend will have the image indelibly engraved in their memory. Malcolm Pannett looks back at the eponymous hero of Saturday's feature race at Newbury.

Mill Reef was one of the superstars of the early 1970s along with Nijinsky and Brigadier Gerard.

Owned and bred by the Pittsburgh-born art connoisseur and philanthropist Paul Mellon, he was sent from the USA to be trained by Ian Balding.

Triumphant in the Coventry, Gimcrack and Dewhurst Stakes he only tasted defeat once as a two-year-old when edged out by My Swallow in the Prix Robert Papin.

After taking the Greenham on his seasonal bow in his Classic season he played a leading role in the fabled 2000 Guineas of 1971.

Ridden, as always, by Geoff Lewis he gained revenge on My Swallow but had to play second fiddle to the great Brigadier Gerard - that would be his last defeat.

Mill Reef's superlative display at Epsom in the Derby, where he came home two lengths to the good over Linden Tree, cemented his reputation which was further enhanced in the Eclipse and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The colt then became the first British-trained winner of the Arc since Migoli in 1948 - an achievement that had eluded Nijinsky the year before.

As a four-year-old Mill Reef won the Prix Ganay and Coronation Cup before contracting a virus. And then disaster struck as during preparation for another tilt at the Arc he broke his foreleg. After being saved for stud by successful surgery and the application of a full-leg cast - the pictures of him wearing it endeared him further to the nation - it wasn't long before the Mill Reef Stakes was inaugurated taking over from the Crookham Stakes in the calendar.

Mill Reef went on to become Champion Sire twice and is immortalised at the National Stud with a life-size statue.

Mon Fils won the first Mill Reef Stakes graduating to take the 2000 Guineas the following year. Other notable winners include Magic Of Life (1987) who won the following season's Coronation Stakes; Firebreak (2001) who went on to win the Hong Kong Mile and two renewals of the Godolphin Mile in Dubai; Zafeen (2002) who next season finished second to Refuse To Bend in the 2000 Guineas before winning the St James's Palace Stakes; Excellent Art (2006) (pictured above) who won the next year's St James's Palace Stakes and then notched up three high profile seconds in the Sussex Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Breeders' Cup Mile.

Habat (1973), Formidable (1977), Primo Valentino (1999) (see below) and Dark Angel (2007) all won the Mill Reef Stakes and then went on to victory in the Middle Parks Stakes.

In 1986 Mellon, who sponsored the race until 1994 through via his Rokeby Farm Stud, won his own money when Forest Flower beat the useful Shady Heights. The winner went on to win the next season's Irish 1000 Guineas while the runner-up was awarded the 1988 International Stakes at York on the disqualification of Persian Heights.

25 Year Ago - Sheikh Mohammed recouped part of the mammoth purchase price paid as Local Suitor found plenty to make it two wins from two runs. The son of Blushing Groom, who had cost $2m as a yearling, found racing room on the inside rail as Presidium challenged on the outer past pacesetter Star Video. Dick Hern's charge, ridden by Willie Carson, strode away to win nicely by a length and a half with Bassenthwaite taking the minor honour.

10 years ago - Peter Harris' Primo Valentino made all under Michael Roberts to land the fourth of what turned out to be five successes in a row. The son of Primo Dominie held Trouble Mountain by a length and a quarter going on to record a career high in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes and two years later add the Abernant Stakes. Observatory, who was having only his second run, finished last in the four-strong Mill Reef field but went on to win Pattern races at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood before taking the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Prix d'Ispahan

Five years ago - Another pillar to post victory this time for the Richard Hannon-trained Galeota at 7/1. The son of Mujadil, under Ryan Moore, quickened from the front a quarter of a mile from home and still had a length to spare over Mystical Land at the line with just a further short-head back to the fast-finishing Rebuttal. Hannon won again the following season with Cool Creek while Galeota has subsequently accrued four Listed-race successes

Last Year - Karl Burke's Lord Shanakill popped up at 10/1 just holding the late challenge of the favourite by half a length. That market leader was Gallagher who had been supported in the market on the back of a decent run in the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville, however in the end Brian Meehan's charge had to be content with second place for the third race in a row as Lord Shanakill held on, under Jim Crowley, having mastered Marine Boy in the final 100 yards with Sayif also running on well to be a close third. The son of Speightstown added the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly in July.

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