He was unbeaten in three starts in his championship season including two Group One races, the Prix de la Salamandre in France and the Dewhurst Stakes in England.
[2] Tobougg was sent as a yearling to the Tattersalls sales in September 1999 where he was bought for 230,000gns by John Ferguson Bloodstock on behalf of Ahmed Al Maktoum.
He lost ground at the start and had trouble finding a clear run, but once switched to the outside he ran on strongly to win by a length and three quarters.
[5] Despite the unimportant status of the race his performance attracted attention, with press reports calling him "a future star" and bookmakers offering him at 25/1 for the following year's 2000 Guineas.
Channon called him "a lovely horse" while his jockey Craig Williams emphasised the ease of his win by claiming that "he hardly knew he had a race".
Settled in third by Craig Williams, Tobougg was moved up to take the lead a furlong out and pulled clear to win by two lengths despite being eased down in the closing stages.
[7] Mick Channon, who watched the race on television from home after forgetting his passport called Tobougg a colt of the "highest quality" while adding that he had a "quirky temperament".
[12] A month later, Tobougg was moved up to a mile and a half for The Derby and ran creditably, finishing strongly to take third place behind Galileo and Golan.
He finished last of the fifteen runners behind Nayef in the Dubai Sheema Classic, and on his return to Europe, ran fifth behind Rebellline in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.
Prior to his new home he stood alongside the champion stayer Double Trigger[20] at the Clarendon Farm stud in Wiltshire,[21] England at a fee of £2,500.