Grass sickness threatens Millennium Dubai Millennium, the apple of Godolphin supremo Sheikh Mohammed`s eye, is suffering from an acute case of grass sickness which threatens his life. The news was confirmed today by John Ferguson, bloodstock advisor to the Sheikh. It had been thought earlier this week that the five-year-old had suffered an attack of colic and he was operated on to was operated on to relieve a blockage of the small intestine. But Ferguson revealed that a biopsy had confirmed that Dubai Millennium was suffering from grass sickness, a disease which attacks the horse`s nervous system. 'We`re desperately trying to find a solution to what is a very serious problem,' he told Channel 4 Racing. 'Not a great deal is known about the disease. It is a toxin which causes nerve damage. 'He is being monitored very carefully and his owner will do anything he can to keep the horse alive and happy. 'The key is to keep the horse stable, if he doesn`t remain comfortable then we wouldn`t be able to treat him and if he was suffering we would have to do the right thing for the horse.' Godolophin`s champion racehorse, the winner of last year`s Dubai World Cup - who was retired to Dalham Hall Stud last August after suffering a fractured bone in his off-hind on the gallops - has already had to undergo extensive surgery in Newmarket for that injury. Sheikh Mohammed has admitted in the past that Dubai Millennium is his favourite horse of all the many he has owned and is personally supervising his care programme.
