He made steady progress in the closing stages to take the lead inside the final furlong and won by three quarters of a length from Paean.
He finished second to Saronicos in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown Park Racecourse, second to Paean on very soft ground in the Ascot Gold Cup and fifth in the Prix Kergorlay.
After a stewards' enquiry Royal Gait was disqualified and placed last for causing interference early in the straight and the Group One prize was awarded to Sadeem.
[6] In July, Sadeem started the 4/6 favourite for the Goodwood Cup and won by a length from the 20/1 outsider Spruce Baby, to whom he was conceding seven pounds.
[8] Sadeem returned to Longchamp in October for the Prix Royal Oak over 3200 metres in which he finished unplaced behind Star Lift.
[9] On 22 June Sadeem ran in the Ascot Gold Cup for the third time and was made the 8/11 favourite in a field of eight runners.
He successfully conceded ten pounds to the four-year-old colt Ashal, winning by a neck after taking the lead half a mile from the finish.
In their book A Century of Champions, based on a modified version of the Timeform system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Sadeem as a "poor" winner of the Gold Cup.