After finishing second in his only race as a juvenile in 1989, he emerged as one of the leading colts of his generation in the first half of the following year, winning the Dante Stakes in England and the Prix du Jockey Club in France.
As a descendant of the broodmare Miss Glasso, she was closely related to Azeri[5] and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winners River Lady and Matiara.
Ridden by Steve Cauthen, he started the 5/1 third favourite behind the Guy Harwood-trained Lover's Moon and the filly Hellenic (later winner of the Yorkshire Oaks) in a field of seventeen runners.
Sanglamore began his second season in a minor event over ten furlongs at Nottingham Racecourse on 16 April in which he was ridden by Pat Eddery, who became his regular jockey.
[9] In the May Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse on 3 May, Sanglamore took the lead a quarter of a mile from the finish but was caught in the closing stages and beaten half a length by the 33/1 outsider Anvari.
Nine days later, Anvari defeated a field which included the subsequent Belmont Stakes winner Go And Go in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown Racecourse.
[10] With Quest For Fame representing the Charlton stable in the Epsom Derby on 6 June, Sanglamore was aimed at the French equivalent, the Prix du Jockey Club over 2400 metres at Chantilly Racecourse three days earlier.
[13] Five weeks later, Sanglamore contested the Eclipse Stakes over ten furlongs at Sandown Park Racecourse in which the Charlton stable also entered Greene's Ferneley to act as a pacemaker.
[14] On 27 July, Sanglamore was moved up in distance to contest Britain's most prestigious weight-for-age race, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes over one and a half miles at Ascot Racecourse.