1989: two-year-old season Dayjur made his first racecourse appearance in the six
furlong Kennett Maiden Stakes at
Newbury on 15 June. He started the
8/15 favourite against thirteen opponents and won "easily" by a
length. A month later he was moved up in class for the
Listed Manton Rose Bowl Stakes over the same course and distance. He started 8/13 favourite but was beaten half a length by the
Clive Brittain-trained Rushmore. At the end of the year he was given a "Hobday" operation to improve his breathing. before being beaten a head by Tod in a similar event at Newbury. Ten days after his disappointing run at Newbury, Dayjur contested his first Group Race when he was pitted against more experienced sprinters in the five furlong
Temple Stakes at
Sandown Park Racecourse. On this occasion, Carson allowed the colt to lead from the start and he won by two lengths without being seriously challenged.
Summer In June, Dayjur was sent to
Royal Ascot for the five-furlong
King's Stand Stakes, which was then a Group Two race. Hern was concerned about the soft ground, but Hamdan Al Maktoum insisted on running him. Dayjur led almost from the start and drew clear in the final two furlongs to beat the French colt
Ron's Victory by two and a half lengths, with a gap of six lengths to the rest of the field. In September, Ron's Victory won the
Diadem Stakes by ten lengths to frank the form. In August, Dayjur was made 8/11 favourite for the Group One
Nunthorpe Stakes at
York, with the
King George Stakes winner Argentum the only horse seriously supported against him. Once again, Carson allowed him to lead from the start and Dayjur pulled away in the closing stages to win by four lengths in a course record time of 56.16. The
Racing Post described the performance as "very impressive".
Autumn In September, Dayjur was moved back up to six furlongs for the
Ladbroke Sprint Cup at
Haydock Park. He started the 1/2 favourite against a field which included the
July Cup winner
Royal Academy and the
Prix Maurice de Gheest winner
Dead Certain. Dayjur led from the start, went clear inside the final quarter mile and held off Royal Academy to win by one and a half lengths. In October, Royal Academy won the
Breeders' Cup Mile. On his final European start, Dayjur contested the
Prix de l'Abbaye at
Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. Only five horses appeared to oppose him and he led from the start before winning by two lengths and being eased down in the closing stages and lost some ground when appearing to jump a shadow cast across the course. During his final race, the 1990
Breeders' Cup Sprint at
Belmont Park, Dayjur overcame a difficult wide draw to contest the lead with
Safely Kept. He looked set for victory, but in the closing seconds of the race the colt jumped a dark shadow cast over the track and another at the line, which allowed the mare to claim victory by a neck. ==Assessment==