He was sired by Northern Dancer out of the mare Special, making him a half brother of several winners including Fairy Bridge, the dam of Sadler's Wells.
He easily outdistanced the field in the Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud Racecourse, winning by six lengths.
His rider, Philippe Paquet, restrained Nureyev in the early stages before pushing his way through the field (interfering with several other runners) to make his challenge in the final quarter mile.
He got the better of a brief struggle with Known Fact to win by a neck with Posse, the main sufferer in the earlier interference, finishing strongly to take third.
On May 5, 1987, Nureyev suffered a life-threatening fracture to his right hind leg in a paddock accident during breeding season, but veterinary surgeons were able to save his life.