Lujain

Lujain began his racing career in a maiden race over six furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse on 18 July and started the 4/9 favourite in a nine-runner field. Ridden as in all his races that year by Frankie Dettori he took the lead approaching the final furlong and drew away to win by three and a half lengths from Indian Warrior.[4] On 4 September the colt started odds-on favourite for a minor race at York Racecourse and won "very easily" by five lengths from Trinity.[5]

On 1 October Lujain was stepped up in class for the Group One Middle Park Stakes and was made the 8/11 favourite against six opponents. His opponents included Sheer Viking and the Irish challenger Borromini who had finished first and second in the Flying Childers Stakes. The other runners were Bertolini (July Stakes)m Sailing Shoes (runner-up in the Gimcrack Stakes), Belasco (third in the Mill Reef Stakes) and the John Dunlop-trained Vision of Night. Dettori restrained the colt in the early stages before making progress down the centre of the course and taking the lead approaching the final furlong. He accelerated clear of his rivals and won by four lengths from Bertolini despite edging to the right in the closing stages.[6] After the race Dettori said "All of a sudden he just zoomed by them, it was amazing. He's very willing, not lethargic at all. He's the perfect horse" whilst Loder commented "He's just a superb horse. He's a machine, isn't he? He hasn't been tested yet" before stating his confidence in the colt's ability to stay further.[7]

Two weeks later, Lujain attempted to complete a rare double when he moved up to seven furlongs for the Dewhurst Stakes and started the 9/2 third favourite behind Stravinsky and the Somerville Tattersall Stakes winner Enrique. He chased the leaders before weakening abruptly in the last quarter mile and finished tailed off in sixth place, more than twenty-two lengths behind the upset winner Mujahid. At the end of 1998 Lujain was transferred to Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin organisation, with Saeed bin Suroor taking over from Loder as his trainer.

In 1999 Lujain was campaigned over sprint distances, beginning his season in the six furlong Duke of York Stakes at York Racecourse in May. Ridden by Mick Kinane, he briefly took the lead a furlong out before fading into fifth place behind Sampower Star. The colt was reunited with Dettori for the King's Stand Stakes over five furlongs at Royal Ascot on 18 June. Lujain appeared to recover well from a poor start but weakened in the final furlong and finished twelfth of the seventeen runners.[8]