He made his debut on 29 July 1806 at Brighthelmston, where he beat the colt Wormwood over a mile for 50 guineas.

Now the property of D. Radcliffe, he started the 7/4 favourite in the field of five and won the race from Captain Absolute, with second-favourite Lydia finishing in third place.

[4] Selim returned to the track as a five-year-old in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket on 30 March 1807, when he started favourite of the eleven-strong field.

[6] He then won the third class October Oatlands Stakes at Newmarket from Gaiety, after starting the odds-on favourite of the five runners.

[7] Selim beat Lydia for 200 guineas in April 1808 at the Newmarket Craven meeting.