The Arabian Racehorse - Autumn 2019

Autumn Issue !"#$

T H E

A R A B I A N

RACEHORSE

Arc Weekend UK Review

DEBORAH BURT Hon SEA

'Power' - Bronze Edition of 9 Award Winning Sculptor in Bronze Commissions Welcome www.equinecreativemedia.com Tel: 00 44 (0) 7782349047 Email: equinecreativemedia@gmail.com THE ARABIAN RACEH

RSE

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T H E

A R A B I A N

RACEHORSE Autumn Issue - 2019

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News

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UK Arabian Racing Review 2019

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Arc Weekend Review 2019 Arqana, Saint-Cloud & ParisLongchamp

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Frederic Sanchez - French Stable Focus

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Khalid Khalifa AL Nabooda - UAE Stud Focus

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Ernst Oertel - UAE Trainer Focus

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A look back at 2019 in pictures

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The Final Furlong - Ebraz & Gazwan

Front Cover: Ebraz and Maxime Guyon win the 2019 Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1PA)

Produced by equine creative media 2 Rose Cottage, Naunton, Cheltenham, Glos, GL54 3AF

equinecreativemedia@gmail.com 00 44 7782 349 047 www ww ww.equinecreativemedia.com

Unless otherwise stated, all features, reports and photographs are by Debbie Burt (copyright) All rights reserved. Print copies may be ordered. Photographs may be viewed and purchased at ww www ww. w.equinecr c eativemedia cr i .smug ia u mug ug u .com ug THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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UK ARABIAN RACING TO INTEGRATE FURTHER WITH THOROUGHBREDS The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), together with The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO), has announced the further regulatory integration of Purebred Arabian (PA) racing into British racing in 2020.

This is to further align the regulatory practices within PA racing with thoroughbred racing and follows approval from British racing’s Executive Committee and the BHA Board.

A period of further scoping work followed by a phased implementation will now take place over the next 12-18 months which will be funded by ARO with help from the Racing Foundation.

Currently the fixture list and regulations of PA racing are approved by the BHA, with the BHA also providing integrity services for any PA races on thoroughbred cards and for premier PA standalone fixtures.

This commitment by the BHA and ARO will see further integration of regulatory procedures, which might include areas such as more closely aligning the licensing requirements of ARO stable yards with those under Rules, harmonisation of ARO Regulations with the Rules of Racing and the alignment of other raceday regulatory functions, though the exact scope of changes will be determined in due course.

Charles Gregson, ARO Chairman commented: “This is the most significant breakthrough

for our sport since we began racing under the guidance of the BHA following our inception. It has always been the vision of our Patron, HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, that Arabian racing would be fully integrated alongside the British thoroughbred racing industry.

“This season has been a turning point for Arabian racing in Great Britain. The increase of single races against a reduction of stand alone fixtures had the benefit of widening our audience and we have been able to open up many more of our races to professional jockeys.

“This has helped to raise the standard of our amateurs, whilst enabling ARO graduates to continue to ride under ARO rules since turning professional.”

He continued: “The increase in international runners this year is also significant, and the support from their owners, trainers and jockeys cannot be underestimated. We acknowledge the role that Dubai International Arabian Races and its’ supporting series has played in encouraging overseas participation, and also of our other major sponsors, the President of the UAE Cup, Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, the Royal Cavalry of Oman and the HH Sheikh Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival, all of which have supported ARO and Arabian Racing in Great Britain for many years."

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Gregson concluded: “We thank all our participants, officials, racecourses and supporters for their commitment to Arabian racing. ARO is finalising the programme for 2020, which will be in a similar format to this year, a model that is well established and successful in other countries.

“The future will be challenging, but with strong support and encouragement from our sponsors and our participants, we feel that the sport has now secured the right foundations for ARO to grow Arabian racing in 2020 and beyond.”

Brant Dunshea, Chief Regulatory Officer of the BHA, said:

“The BHA is committed to bringing its expertise and experience as British racing’s governing body and regulator to raise the high standards in place in Purebred Arabian racing still further.

“We will continue to work closely with ARO as we scope out the various options for what increased regulatory integration will look like and will give more detail in due course as we move towardsimplementation next year.”

EQUINE MEDIRECORD PARTNERS WITH ARO As part of the further integration, from 2020 ARO registered trainers will be required to use the Equine MediRecord (EMR) system, as reported in full in The Arabian Racehorse Summer 2019 edition.

Equine MediRecord (EMR), recent winner of the Irish Midlands Best Startup in 2019, has partnered with the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) in the United Kingdom to bring about the highest standards of equine welfare in the world. ARO is the first equine organization in Europe and only the second in the world to mandate electronic veterinary records to be kept by their registered trainers for the horses in their care.

The global equine industry predominantly maintains their veterinary records on paper, however EMR’s revolutionary web and phone app has upgraded these traditional

handwritten records to a digital mobile platform. This minimises common errors through spelling or the dangers of record books being damaged or lost, which may compromise the welfare of the horse.

EMR solves many issues for all parties in the equine industry. Trainers can be certain they are compliant with the latest equine welfare regulations automatically, whilst veterinary surgeons can access a horses’ full medical history, ensuring they receive the best possible care. Moreover, regulators and administrators can be sent digital copies of records before races or during equine disease outbreaks.

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The equine influenza outbreak in the UK in February this year saw the racing industry lose over £150 million as racing was postponed whilst inspections of yards and documents were taking place. Accurate record keeping is topical globally, with the formation of the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition in the United States, made up of six of the US’s most prominent horse racing entities. They have united to seek a common, comprehensive and transparent set of standards and includes digital veterinary record keeping as an aim for the future.

The EMR system currently boasts some of the largest thoroughbred racing and breeding yards in the UK, Ireland and France, though their administrators still maintain a paper veterinary record system.

ARO will be breaking new ground in becoming a world leader in bio-security and equine welfare, as the first organisation to commit to having digital veterinary records for all their registered horses. All Arabian racehorses in the UK will now be placed on the EMR digital system that automates veterinary compliance to welfare regulation for the 2020 season.

Arabian racing began in the UK in 1978, as an amateur sport, racing primarily on Pointto-Point racecourses. ARO was formed in 1999 and Arabian racing switched to competing solely on thoroughbred racecourses, under the guidance of the British Horseracing Authority.

Certain restrictions were imposed, for example segregation from the thoroughbreds in the racecourse stables when competing on the same card and the use of the pre-parade ring saddling facilities on some racecourses.

Though still holding amateur status in the UK, Arabian trainers have been competing successfully at the highest level globally for many years, in some cases dividing their time between the UK in the summer and the Gulf States in the winter. For example, when Dubai’s Meydan racecourse

commenced racing in 2010, the winner of the opening race was No Risk Al Maury, trained by multiple ARO champion trainer Gillian Duffield, who was based in Newmarket.

Genny Haynes, ARO Commercial & Finance Director commented: “It became evident with the equine influenza outbreak and the BHA’s criteria for nasal swabs when Arabian horses raced on licenced tracks, that we needed to raise our standards of biosecurity to a higher level.

“With this commitment to equine welfare and bio-security, and the opportunity to work with EMR, certain restrictions were relaxed for the first time in decades in the 2019 season.

She concluded saying: “We are delighted to partner with EMR for 2020 when will fully integrate our registered trainers into their system, which will demonstrate our commitment to the highest standards of welfare for our horses.”

Pierce Dargan, CEO Equine MediRecord, stated: “We are so happy that our system played a part in getting the restrictions dropped on Arabian horses, for the first time in decades, in the UK. We have been inspired by the commitment of those at the ARO and Arabian trainers in the UK who are committed to ensure the best possible care for their horses. We are proud to be helping them promote the sport of Arabian Racing in the UK and see them become a global leader to ensure the welfare of the horses under their care.”

For further information on the Equine MediRecord system, please visit: www.equinemedirecord.com

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ARO ANNUAL REVIEW 2019 AVAILABLE JANUARY The ARO Annual Review of the 2019 UK Arabian racing season will be available to order from Janury 6th from the ARO office.

ARABIAN RACING ORGANISATION 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW

The 60 page full colour illustrated review features comprehensive results of all ARO's races throughout 2019. It is an invaluable refence guide to UK Arabian racing for last season and includes all the championship tables.

To place your order please email: willie@aroracing.co.uk

ARO 2020 PROVISIONAL FIXTURE LIST RELEASED The ARO provisional fixture list for the forthcoming 2020 season was released to all registered participants earlier this month and has now been published online.

All full fixtures and single races on thoroughbred cards are subject to change and approval by the British Horseracing Authority, however the list is in a similar format to the 2019 season with a range of Turf and All Weather courses.

The dates for the DIAR series and DIAR itself have already been announced (see page xx) as has the new Listed PA race at Ascot in May. A prep race has been scheduled fro this race at Newbury on April 17th.

There are 32 single races scheduled to take place on thoroughbred cards, in addition to the eight races of DIAR and, it is hoped, another full fixture of at least six races, towards the end of August.

Further to the 2019 participants supplying details of the horses that they intend to

race in 2020, it is anticipated that the raceplan will be published in early January, with the races catering for the available horse population.

At the end of the 2019 season, Genny Haynes, ARO Commercial and Finance Director commented: "Though we reduced the number of races to reflect the decline in horse population, it still provided opportunities for all levels with exceptionally good prize money for the lower grade horses, as well as those at the top end. The increase of single races against a reduction of stand-alone fixtures also had the benefit of widening our audience, which can only be a positive."

Following on from the recent announcementof futher integration, UK Arabian racing now appears to be on a firm footing to progress in 2020.

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ARABIAN RACING RETURNS TO ASCOT IN 2020 WITH A NEW RACE SPONSORED BY SHADWELL STUD The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) is thrilled to have plans to stage a new race for Purebred Arabians at Ascot racecourse approved by the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) Pattern Committee. The £15,000 Listed PA race will be run over a mile at the historic Berkshire track on 8th May 2020 and will be sponsored by Shadwell Stud.

It has been almost ten years since Arabians made an appearance at Ascot, when the French filly Kiss De Ghazal won the 2011 President of the UAE Cup (UK Arabian Derby) Group 1 PA, in impressive fashion by seven lengths.

Shadwell Stud Director Richard Lancaster said: “We’re delighted to be staging an Arabian race at Ascot and congratulate the team at Ascot for facilitating the race on one of their Thoroughbred cards.

“This is an important time for Arabian racing and to stage a race at Ascot is a great way of raising the profile of the sport, a sport that is incredibly important to Sheikh Hamdan.”

Genny Haynes, ARO Commercial and Finance Director commented. “Naturally we are very excited to be returning to Ascot, with a race that will be open to international competitors. We are still in consultation with Ascot, Shadwell and the British Horseracing Authority to finalise the details, after which the full conditions of the race will be published.

“HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum is our most generous patron and was recently awarded with his eighteenth ARO Owners Championship after another successful season. His continued support of our programme, not only through race sponsorship, but his horses, trainers and stallions, is integral to our success, from the grassroots to the highest level.

“That he has chosen to increase his sponsorship with this race at one of the UK’s most prestigious racing venues further enhances the status and reputation of UK Arabian racing. Last season saw a significant increase in runners from overseas in our pattern races, which shows that the appetite for top class Arabian racing around the world continues to grow.

We look forward to building upon this achievement in 2020.”

Ascot is universally recognised as one of the best racecourses in Britain and the announcement has been warmly welcomed, both domestically and around the world.

Rene Koch described the news as “Fantastic” and echoed the words of many of the sports leading participants in thanking Sheikh Hamdan and Shadwell Stud for their support.

James Owen, recently crowned ARO Champion Trainer for a third time commented: “We were delighted to hear the news of the new race at Ascot, it is great for our sport to have a presence there and we thank Shadwell Stud and ARO for making it happen.

“Of course we will be targeting it next season, as we have horses for His Highness that would be suitable. It would be great to run one of our Racing Club horses in it too, we have over thirty members in the syndicate and it would be a dream come true for them to have a runner at Ascot.”

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A R A B I A N R A C I N G O R G A N I S A T I O N The Arabian Racing Organisation Limited (ARO) is the sole Arabian racing agency in the UK, operating under the regulatory authority of the British Horseracing Authority.

ARO runs a programme of full Arabian racedays and single Arabian races on thoroughbred cards from the spring through to autumn.

The 2019 UK International season featured eight PA Group races run at Doncaster, Goodwood, Newbury and Royal Windsor.

Now in it's sixth year, the Arabian Racing Achievement Award recognises the contribution to the sport of our champions and unsung heroes: 2019 - James Owen

2016 - HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum

- three times ARO Champion Trainer

- ARO patron & 18 times ARO Champion Owner

2018 - Gary Capewell

2015 - Gill Duffield

- over 1000 ARO commentaries 2017 - The Royal Cavalry of Oman - long term sponsor and supporter of UK Arabian racing

Tel: 01635 524 445

- 12 times ARO Champion Trainer 2014 - Notid - Arabian racehorse with over 100 starts

Email: info@aroracing.co.uk

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www.aroracing.co.uk

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JAMES OWEN RECEIVES ARABIAN RACING ACHEIVEMENT AWARD Now in its' sixth year the Arabian Racing Achievement Award is presented as part of the Horserace Writers and Photographers Annual Derby Awards Luncheon in London in December. This year, ARO's leading traienr James Owen was the recipient.

Saddling his first winner with his first runner back in 2015 and ending that season as Leading Newcomer, Owen made an immediate impact as a trainer of Arabians. Trainers Championships have followed, but it is this year that his career has fully blossomed.

It began well with his first overseas success, when Farhaa won in Belgium in April, followed by a steady stream of domestic winners. At UK Arabian racing’s equivalent of Champions Day, Dubai International Arabian Races at Newbury, he trained the first three home in the opening contest, concluding the meeting as Baileys Horse Feeds Leading Trainer. In August, his first pattern victory arrived when Awzaan and Martin Dwyer were decisive winners of the Royal Cavalry of Oman Clarendon Stakes (Group 3PA) at Newbury. At the seasons’ close in September, he regained the Trainers Championship, which he has now won three times.

It is not just for his training achievements that Owen has been recognised. A former leading amateur rider with nine East Anglian Point-to-Point Championships to his name and over 50 winning rides on Arabians, he is well aware of the importance of supporting young jockeys. He combines training Arabians in the summer and pointers in the winter, with a successful pre-training yard, breaking yearlings for many of Newmarket’s thoroughbred trainers. This steady year-round balance of riding opportunities has enabled him to develop a strong team of riders. Subsidising their gym membership, with the incentive of rides to reward gym attendance, has paid dividends with all the 2019 jockey awards heading to his yard too.

After his career as a conditional jockey in Scotland stalled, Alex Chadwick returned to the amateur ranks joining Owen’s yard hoping to pick up a few rides pointing. Not only did he taste success in that field, he became Champion Jockey in his first season riding Arabians.

Antonia Peck, who Owen had taught to ride, was Champion Lady Jockey, whilst Leading Novice Rider went to another Owen protégé in Hayley Lewis.

ARO Chairman Charles Gregson with James Owen Though the majority of Owen’s winners have been for his principal patron, HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, he also champions the sport’s grassroots. Two years ago, he and his wife Jenny established the first multi-horse syndicate in Arabian racing, the James Owen Racing Club, with three horses. An instant success, the Club has over 30 members, a number of whom attended almost every race this year, regardless of whether the Club had a runner or not.

The Club’s first winner in 2018 was My Boy Sam, a homebred of Owen’s parents, whilst in 2019 Tijaary has proved their flagship horse and was crowned Champion Arabian. Following a career ending injury early last year, their Dolfina D’Ibos was retired to stud, so the Club now boasts its’ own breeding programme with its’ first foal born this year, and another on the way for 2020.

The comprehensive success of Owen’s team also extends to winning the Racing Welfare Best Turned Out Awards Championship for the last two seasons, further underlining the work ethic at Green Ridge Stables. www.jamesowenracing.com www.hwpa.org

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HH SHEIKH SULTAN BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN 1955 - 2019 The Arabian racing world offered their condolences following the passing of His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Sheikh Sultan, the second son of Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, was born in Al Ain in 1955. He was educated at Millfield School in Somerset and attended Sandhurst Military Academy. The former deputy prime minister was appointed the President's Representative, a post he held until his death.

Known as the "Father of Heritage" for his love of Emirati culture and tradition, Sheikh Sultan was patron of an annual heritage festival held at Sweihan racecourse in Abu Dhabi. The Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Heritage Festival included camel and saluki races, a camel beauty contest and traditional markets that sold handicrafts and hosted traditional activities.

His herd of over 500 Arabians reside at W’rsan Stables and was established in 2000.

It is described as ‘home to a unique collection of some of the most treasured Polish racing bloodlines in the World.” It’s most famous resident, US Champion racehorse and multiple champion sire, Monarch AH, celebrated his 30th birthday in 2017.

He founded the Heritage Arabian Racing Club (HARC) in February 2015. The purpose of HARC was to support and promote racing globally for those who wished to preserve the purebred Arabian of traditional type and bloodlines. Aiming to ensure the long-term future of Arab horse characteristics, with the hallmarks of beauty, athletic ability, soundness and versatility as well as speed, and to ensure a diversity of bloodlines for the long-term future of the breed.

The UK was one of the founder members, with ARO hosting a number of races with the support of HARC since its’ inception.

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DIAR 2020 DATES ANNOUNCED The Dubai International Arabian Races (DIAR) Committee and their partners have announce the dates for the DIAR European Prep Series in 2020, which culminates in their flagship event at Newbury racecourse on Sunday, July 26.

There will be 17 DIAR prep races in Europe: as in previous years the series will begin in Rome, at Capannelle Racecourse on April 19, moving on to Bro Park in Sweden, Duindigt in Holland, and La Teste de Buch in France. The UK races (which are still subject to approval from the British Horseracing Authority) begin on June 11.

Mirza Al Sayegh, spokesperson for the DIAR programme commented: “In 2019, the DIAR prep races were very well supported, with runners coming from across all of Europe. Our final race day at Newbury was a great success, thanks to all participants, trainers, owners, sponsors, racecourse staff, partners as well as the

public who were there to witness very competitive Arabian races.

“We are very grateful for the support we have received from all the owners and trainers who travelled from afar to participate in the DIAR race programme.

The racing authorities from Italy, Sweden, Holland, France and the UK have been very helpful organising, promoting and hosting our races and we are looking forward to working with them again in 2020.

“We are delighted to announce the renewal of the travel allowances for international runners competing in the races at Newbury on 26th July and the renewal of the DIAR bonus prize fund for 2020. The details of those schemes and the conditions of the races will be published at a later date.”

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The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) is one of the most valuable partners of DIAR, and Genny Haynes, ARO Commercial and Finance Director commented: “We're delighted to receive this news from the DIAR committee. The addition of the prep series four years ago completely revitalised DIAR in terms of the interest it has generated outside of the UK and last year saw our highest number of international runners declared for the meeting.”

She continued: “The DIAR series and of course DIAR itself have become a significant part of the European Arabian racing programme. We warmly welcome overseas competitors to the UK and recognise the importance of being able to offer international racing at some of our most prestigious Grade 1 racecourses.”

For more information on DIAR and the history of the DIAR series please visit: www.diaraces.com

THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

STANDING IN ENGLAND

Sivit Al Maury

AKBAR - SAVAVIT AL MAURY

NEW IN 2020

Winner of 7 races including 4 Group PA races Out of an outstanding family that produced SYLVINE AL MAURY, DAHESS, NIZAM, MKEEFA, CHADDAD, LIGHTNING BOLT, NO RISK AL MAURY, KAOLINO…

Al Jakbar

AL SAKBE - ESSAADA

Sire of Group winners

Al Saoudi

NUITS ST GEORGES - FATZICA

Sire of Stakes winners

STANDING IN FRANCE

Af Al Buraq

AMER - AL HANOUF

A leading sire in the UAE Sire of Stakes winners including AF MAHER (Kahayla Classic, Gr.1 PA)

Handassa

MADJANI - ZIVA

By the exceptional sire MADJANI (TIDJANI) Dual Group 1 PA winner FIRST YEARLINGS IN 2020

Manark

MAHABB – MENDRA

Group winner at 3 Winner of the Dubai Kahayla Classic (Gr.1 PA) FIRST FOALS IN 2020

No Risk Al Maury

KESBEROY - NECTARINE AL MAURY

Winner of 6 Group 1 PA races Sire of Stakes winners

STANDING IN ITALY

Taajer

MADJANI - ZIVA

By the exceptional sire MADJANI (TIDJANI) FIRST YEARLINGS IN 2020

Contact us to receive the 2020 Shadwell Arabian Stallions brochure Discover more about Shadwell Arabian Stallions at: www.shadwellarabian.co.uk and Facebook.com/ShadwellArabian For all nominations with frozen semen, please contact: Marion Lachat on +44(0)1842 755913 mlachat@shadwellstud.co.uk For all natural cover nominations in France, please contact: Haras de Saint Faust, Tel: +33 (0) 5 59 83 05 16 contact@haras-saintfaust.com THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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NEW STALLIONS AND FEES ANNOUCED FOR 2020 The 2020 breeding season will give Arabian racehorse breeders some exciting new stallions to consider for their mares.

The highest profile addition to the stallion ranks was HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani's Gazwan (by Amer), a seven-time Group 1 PA winner and one of a very select band of horses to win two HH The Amir's Sword's and two Dubai International Stakes. He retires to Al Shahania Stud and will be available to approved mares only, in his first season.

Shadwell Arabians have added the Group 1 PA winner, Sivit Al Maury to their roster for 2020. He is a half-brother to champion racemare, Sylvine Al Maury by the recently deceased Akbar. Shadwell Arabians look to have an exciting year ahead for their stallions with Manark's first foals due, and the first yearlings for the brothers, Handassa and Taajer may make their way to the sales ring in the autumn.

Al Shaqab Arabians have published their

Gazwan (GB) fees for 2020. They are awaiting the first foals of Group 1 winner Al Mouwaffak, whilst the first yearlings of their world champion, Al Mourtajez will be sure to attract attention in the sales ring.

A full 2020 stallion review will be in the next edition of The Arabian Racehorse.

Sivit Al Maury (FR) who will stand at Shadwell Arabians in the UK for 2020 THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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UK Arabian Racing Review 2019 The Arabian Racing Organisation’s (ARO) 2019 racing season ended on September 24th at Lingfield Park having hosted 46 races, of which eight were PA Group contests. ARO patron HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum gained his 18th Owners Championship, with many of those winners trained by James Owen, who recorded his third ARO Trainers title.

The ARO Jockeys Championship was won by Alex Chadwick, a remarkable achievement in his first season riding under ARO rules.

Reviewing the year Genny Haynes, ARO Commercial and Finance Director commented: “This season has been a turning point for UK Arabian racing. Though we reduced the number of races to reflect the decline in horse population, it still provided opportunities for all levels with exceptionally good prize money for the lower grade horses, as well as those at the top end. The increase of single races against a reduction of stand-alone fixtures had the benefit of widening our audience, which can only be a positive. For example, The Clarendon Stakes, the most valuable of all the Royal Cavalry of Oman’s race sponsorship with us, took place in front of a near sell-out crowd at Newbury.”

“This season we have been able to open up many more of our races to professional riders.

It was a significant milestone in our history to

welcome jockeys of the calibre of seven-time UAE champion Tadhg O’Shea and Derby winner Martin Dwyer to our domestic races. It is also pleasing to see our former champion novices Charlie Price and Ellie Mackenzie continue to ride with us since taking out their professional licences."

She continued: “The increase in international runners is also significant, and the support from their owners, trainers and jockeys cannot be underestimated. We acknowledge the role that DIAR and its’ supporting series has played in encouraging overseas participation, and also of our other major sponsors, the President of the UAE Cup, Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, the Royal Cavalry of Oman and the HH Sheikh Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival.”

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ARO CHAMPION OWNER HH SHEIKH HAMDAN AL MAKTOUM

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin R Al Maktoum Mrs D Thomas James Owen Racing Club HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani Royal Cavalry Of Oman Dilmun Racing The Almost All Partnership Yas Horse Racing Management Al Shaqab Racing Pharitz Arabians Athbah Racing KSA Whitley Meadows Arabian Racing Stud PJH Racing Peter Deckers (BE) Mrs Hannah Adams and Mrs Shelia Collington Ms Emma Mooney Victoria Barden Mr Emadadein Alhtoushi Zayin Arabian Stud Ltd John Elliott & Teresa Kinsey

1st 2nd 17 16 5 3 3 1 3 0 2 5 2 2 2 1 2 0 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 1

3rd 16 1 1 0 3 1 1 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3

4th 19 2 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

5th 14 2 4 0 1 0 3 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0

6th 9 1 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 3 0

PRIZEMONEY 96,916 11,532 3,665 241,500 13,980 3,379 11,194 83,100 37,600 6,380 29,400 4,643 2,015 21,900 1,137 1,535 580 20,000 8,760 2,840

Another succesful season for ARO Patron, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum with 17 winners, trained by James Owen and Phil Collington, who are both based in Newmarket.

Shadwell Stud Director Richard Lancaster, who received the trophy on behalf of His Highness commented: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are very happy to celebrate another ARO Owners Championship title on behalf of HH Sheikh Hamdan. His dedication and passion for Arabian racing is second to none and our Arabian racing teams have done a wonderful job again this year.

"The UK racing season highlight for us was the successful DIAR raceday at Newbury at the end of July. We have been very pleased to see some of our young horses showing a lot of promise, as well as experienced horses performing at the highest level.

"We were also delighted to watch Awzaan win a Group race at Newbury this summer, a first Group winner for his sire Al Saoudi, who stands under the Shadwell Arabians banner in Newmarket.â&#x20AC;?

Richard Lancaster receives the ARO Owners' Championship Trophy

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Leading horses in the UK for His Highness were Awzaan, Al Azeeza and Al Kaaser, all trained by James Owen. Awzaan (below) was particularly significant as his win in the Royal Cavalry of Oman Clarendon Stakes was a first Group winner for his sire Al Saoudi. The son of Nuits St Georges who is closely related to world champion racehorse Al Mourtajez, has recently relocated from France to stand in the UK.

Al Azeeza (below), who had originally been trained in France by Francois Rohaut, was his first winner of the 2019 season, when breaking her maiden at Lingfield in May. She then led a notable 1-2-3 triumph for His Highness and Owen, when winning the opening race of DIAR, with Naishaan and Farhaa filling in the places.

All three fillies were bred by Shadwell too. Al Kaaser gave Sheikh Hamdan and Owen back to back wins in ARO's longest premier handicap, sponsored this year by Hope Farm, when winning over 2 miles at Doncaster in June, with thier 2018 winner Al Faaris beaten a head in second.

Finishing runner-up was Welsh based ownertrainer Delyth Thomas, who made an impressive start winning three of the first four races of 2019. Her stable star this season was the lightly raced eight-year-old Paramer Angel (above) who scored twice over a mile. Bred by Mrs Zelda Angel, he is a gelded son of Parador out of Mrs Angel's Picamer Angel who won nine races from 6f to 1m2f.

Leading owner based on prize money was HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani who won the UK's most valuable race, the Qatar International Stakes (Gr1PA) with Ebraz, three days after his Gazwan (above) regained the Dubai International Stakes (Gr1PA), which he had first won as a four-year-old in 2015. Also a winner in the blue and white silks at DIAR was the juvenile Methgal, winner of the DIAR International Stakes (Gr3PA). All three colts were trained by Julian Smart.

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ARO CHAMPION TRAINER JAMES OWEN Mr James Owen Mr Philip Collington Mrs D Thomas Mr P J Hammersley Julian Smart (QA) Said Al Badi Ms B Deutrom Mr A S Newey Frederic Sanchez (FR) Thomas Fourcy (FR) Mr Anthony Holdsworth Peter Deckers (BE) Mme J F Bernard (FR) Mr W M Smith Henrik Engblom (SE) Ms Nikki Malcolm Damien De Watrigant (FR) Francois Rohaut (FR) M. A De Mieulle (QA) Johan Verstrepen (BE)

1st 2nd 15 11 7 9 5 3 3 6 3 0 2 4 2 2 2 1 2 0 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0

3rd 16 8 1 6 0 2 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2

4th 10 15 2 3 0 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

5th 10 9 2 7 0 1 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

6th PRIZEMONEY 8 57,738 5 46,880 1 11,532 3 18,689 0 241,500 1 7,580 2 7,915 2 12,930 0 67,100 0 32,600 0 4,643 1 21,900 0 25,000 1 580 1 12,400 1 940 0 11,640 0 26,000 0 80,000 0 6,000

A third championship win for James Owen marked his most successful season to date, as even though he has trained more winners (in 2017) he gained his first Group winner in Awzaan, his first overseas success with Farhaa in April, and a first win at DIAR, finishing the meeting as Baileys Horse Feeds Leading Trainer.

Owen said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Arabians have all performed well and held their form throughout the season.

It was great to get our first DIAR and Group winners, in Al Azeeza and Awzaan, particularly as they were both for HH Sheikh Hamdan and I thank all my owners and staff for their support. I am now looking forward to attending the Arqana sale where I will be trying to strengthen my team for next year.â&#x20AC;?

He finished well clear of 2018 Champion, Phil Collington, both by number of winners and by prize money, though the Collington team had achieved more success abroad with their Athbah Stud owned horses.

Collington's most successful UK runner was Thamaraat, who has proved herself a useful stayer, like her dam Aljazwa, who Collington had won on twice during his riding days.

James Owen receives the ARO Trainers' Championship Trophy

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A homebred for HH Sheikh Hamdan, Thamaraat (below) won twice this season, including in the Dubai Developements Premier Handicap over 1m4f at DIAR under an enterprising ride from Tadhg O'Shea.

However one horse that gave the Collington team a huge sense of pride on breaking his maiden was Izenterisky (below). A four-year-old gelded son of No Risk Al Maury, out of useful sprint handicapper Pinkie Tuscadero, he was bred by Collington's wife Sheila and owned in partnership with Hannah Adams, wife of Collington's assistant Barry, who also rode the horse to victory at Wolverhampton in August.

His leading scorer was ARO Champion Mare Abiyah Athbah. Other horses to do well from his yard were Zayin Angkor Centurion and the stayer Hau Kola. Neither managed to win this term, but both picked up useful prize money in either Group and conditions races or top level handicaps. Like Collington, he also achieved homebred success, in his case with Stonehenge (below). Stonehenge is an attractive son of Madjani out of another winning sprint handicapper in Kateland, he won well stepping up to 2 miles for the first time at Wolverhampton.

Finishing ahead of Hammersley in numbers was Delyth Thomas, whilst eighth in the trainers table was Adam Newey who nonetheless had a successful season finiancially, finishing fourth on prize money of the domestic trainers. This was primarily down to the efforts of Kamikaze (below) and Vindetta who finished first and third in the valuable HH Sheikha Fatima Ladies World Championship race at Windsor in August.

With prize money down to sixth place for all ARO races this season, only two of the 18 UK domestic trainers went home empty handed.

Whilst he may have finished fourth in the Championship, Midlands trainer Pete Hammersley, was third by prize money won taking home over ÂŁ18,000.

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ARO CHAMPION JOCKEY MR ALEX CHADWICK 1st 2nd Mr Alex Chadwick Mr D Turner Mr Stephen Harrison Miss Antonia Peck Mr Simon Walker Mr James W Harding Mr Barry Adams Mr Will Pettis Miss Joanna Mason Miss Hayley Lewis Miss Helen Boehler (DE) Mr Isaac Buncle Miss Eszter Jeles (HU) Mr Mike Palmer Mr Ciaran Jones Miss Serena Brotherton Miss Beatriz Alonso (ES) Mr Nath McCann Mr William Humphrey Miss Jody Townend (IRE)

4 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

5 6 2 3 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3rd 6 2 3 4 1 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 0 0 0

4th 5th 2 2 4 1 3 2 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1

0 2 2 3 0 1 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 2 1 0

6th RIDES PRIZEMONEY 0 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 1 5 0

22 26 19 19 7 9 3 12 5 4 1 1 1 10 7 4 1 10 8 1

9,033 12,019 4,055 5,598 2,623 2,796 1,137 2,414 1,052 1,140 7,000 2,025 2,800 795 1,020 683 1,680 860 847 1,120

A first championship for 24-year-old newcomer Alex Chadwick who has been an integral part of the Owen team. He joined Owen earlier this year, after a brief spell as a conditional jump jockey in Scotland. Returning to the amateur ranks, he initially rode point-to-pointers for Owen before commencing his first season on Arabians.

After receiving his trophy following the final UK Arabian race for 2019 from 16-time ARO Champion Simon Walker, Chadwick said: “It’s a big achievement really, I never thought at the start of the year I would end up as Champion Jockey.

"James has been a tremendous help, coaching me, reviewing my races and giving me rides.

Tijaary would be my highlight, as we both lost our maiden tags together. I ride him every day at home and he’s been my favourite throughout the season.

"The aim over the winter will be to ride in pointto-points and under rules when I can and hopefully get more winners.”

Alex Chadwick receives the ARO Jockeys' Championship Trophy

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Chadwick's wins were all on Owen prepared horses and from 22 rides he only finished outside of the first four on five occasions. As well as establishing a winning relationship with Tijaary, he was successful on Al Hakeem and Ameed (below), all three horses were maidens at the start of the season.

Ridge Stables. Peck will see how the winter progresses as an amateur under rules and in point-to-points. She is considering furthering her career abroad next summer, however if she is still in the UK she looks forward to riding under ARO rules when she can.

Winner of this season's Lady Jockey Championship was Antonia Peck, who is also based with Owen in Newmarket. Peck also rode Tijarry to victory, though she considered her win on Jadaayil (below) at Wolverhampton to be the highlight of her rides in 2019.

Therefore looking to pick up any spare rides at Green Ridge will be Hayley Lewis, who was surprised and delighted to win the Leading Novice Trophy. She is currently enjoying breaking in the new Arabian recruits to the Owen team and is looking forward to next year.

That ride was also nominated for an award, and she finished runner-up in the Ride of the Season.

Peck was taught to ride by Owen, and it was he who provided her with her first ARO winner back in 2016 at Hereford. She has been a longterm member of the Owen team, however next year it will be harder for her to follow up as she is expanding her horizons and leaving Green THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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ARO LEADING PROFESSIONAL JOCKEY CHARLIE PRICE Charlie Price Martin Dwyer Ellie Mackenzie Tadhg O'Shea Olivier Peslier Jean-Bernard Eyquem Dane O'Neill Ioritz Mendizabal Anna Van Den Troost Joey Haynes Jim Crowley Sean Levey Maxime Guyon Dylan Hogan Fergus Sweeney David Probert Racheal Kneller Pat Dobbs Francois Xavier Bertras Julien AugĂŠ

1st 2nd 4 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

3rd 1 1 1 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 0 0

4th 5th 2 2 0 2 3 1 5 2 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

6th RIDES PRIZEMONEY 0 16 8,370 1 11 18,120 1 15 8,920 3 20 82,920 1 6 129,100 0 5 44,400 1 7 10,740 0 3 57,500 1 3 21,900 0 2 1,050 1 7 38,040 0 3 2,740 0 1 200,000 0 1 1,000 0 7 18,100 1 4 1,720 0 7 1,840 0 4 9,800 1 2 23,000 0 1 16,000

Charlie Price finished runner-up to Alex Chadwick in the overall Jockeys table, but was the winner of the Leading Professional category.

This was a notable success, as he becomes the first ARO graduate to claim this title, having been Leading Novice in 2016.

Price began his career with Delyth Thomas, for whom he gained his four wins this season, split evenly between Callymay and Paramer Angel.

Price has been based with Welsh National Hunt trainer, Tim Vaughan, for a number of years now and took out his professional license at the end of the 2018 ARO season. He is very grateful to Vaughan for allowing him the time off to ride Arabians, though admits that it may be harder next season as he is riding nearly every day now.

He is currently prominent in the 2019/20 National Hunt Conditional Jockeys Championship, alongside another former ARO Champion, Page Fuller (ARO Champion Lady Jockey 2015) and is amazed at how far he has come in his career in such a short space of time.

Charlie Price and Paramer Angel (GB) THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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ARO RIDE OF THE SEASON WILL PETTIS & SYRAH GRIS

I rode when I started in 2015, I have ridden him 17 times and won on him twice."

The annual Ride of the Season Award was a close run thing between Will Pettis and Syrah Gris, and Antonia Peck and Jadaayil, both rides were at Wolverhampton.

The nominated rides were considered by a panel of judges, chaired by ITV Racing’s Luke Harvey who commented: “We felt two rides stood out from the short list, both similar types where neither horse looked like winning for the majority of the race and neither jockey gave up.

"The standard of riding has improved enormously since I last watched Arabian horseracing, something you should all be very proud of. The most difficult decision was trying to separate the pair, in the end it was decided that the ride of Will Pettis on Syrah Gris was the marginal winner”.

Pettis, who had been ARO Champion Jockey last season was delighted saying: "Receiving this award for my ride on Syrah Gris at Wolverhampton is all the more special as it was his last race before he was retired and I would like to thank Adam Newey and Linda Cross for letting me ride him. 'Cyril' was the first Arabian

Syrah Gris is a 13 year-old gelded son of Khoutoubia who raced 74 times, winning 6 races and placing 36 times. Trained by Adam Newey for the Almost All Partnership, his career highlights include winning the Emirates Premier handicap over 7f at DIAR in 2011. He has been ridden by many of ARO's leading jockeys apart from Pettis, including Phil Collington, Page Fuller, Rachael King and David Turner.

Will Pettis & Syrah Gris (GB) win the Taqah Beach (0-50) Handicap Stakes THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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ARO CHAMPION ARABIAN TIJAARY TIJAARY (FR) ABIYAH ATHBAH AL KAASER (FR) CALLYMAY THAMARAAT (FR) AL AZEEZA (FR) PARAMER ANGEL RAFEEF (FR) AMEED FARHAA JAAHEZ (FR) HALIB DES FORGES (FR) MEHDAAF ATHBAH AWZAAN (FR) MAWARID KAMIKAZE POPSSTAR STONEHENGE CONCHITA D.A. (BE) IZENTERISKY

PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA

1st 2nd 3 0 2 2 2 1 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

3rd 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

4th 0 1 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

5th 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0

6th RUNS PRIZEMONEY 0 6 2,635 0 6 3,379 0 4 4,500 1 5 3,502 0 5 6,430 0 3 7,900 0 4 3,720 0 5 2,228 0 6 1,976 0 4 8,977 0 4 1,594 1 4 1,848 0 3 17,460 0 4 9,300 0 3 3,745 0 4 7,670 0 4 4,643 0 4 2,015 0 2 20,500 0 2 1,137

Another Championship for James Owen, this time with his Racing Club star, Tijaary. Tijaary was bred by Shadwell France and originally raced in HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's colours in 2018, when he made the frame in all five of his starts when also trained by Owen.

Tijaary (FR)

ground and is by His Highness's dual Dubai International Stakes winner, Al Sakbe, out of Prix Dragon winner, My Princesse. My Princesse is out of another Dubai International Stakes winner, Cherifa, one of France's most successful dam lines.

The six-year-old has taken his time to come to hand, but has blossomed this season, and though not of the highest class to fulfil HH Sheikh Hamdan's requirements, Tijaary has proved an admirable servant to the James Owen Racing Club, giving them the leading Arabian in only the Club's second year of racing and taking their 30 strong membership around the country to experience Arabian racing from maiden level to Group 1PA company.

Heading the Champion Arabian Mare category is Abiyah Athbah (above). Lightly raced at four, she finished a not disgraced sixth in the UK Arabian Derby on only her second start. She has been consistent this season running well around a mile and impressing when stepped up to a mile and a half when winning on her final start of 2019.

He has been seen to best effect this season on the All Weather, with two wins on the Tapeta at Wolverhampton and a runaway win at Lingfield Park.

Tijaary is a gelded son of Al Saoudi, like another of Owen's leading performers of 2019, Awzaan.

His dam, Petranuille, won once over 7f on quick

She is a daughter of multiple Group 1 PA performer Jaafer ASF, out of US graded winner Burning Fancy, who was by Burning Sand. Not precocious enough to race for her breeders Athbah Stud, her pedigree was an obvious attraction and she races in the colours of Dilmun Racing, trained by Peter Hammersley.

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ARO CHAMPION SIRE MUNJIZ Sire Munjiz (FR) No Risk Al Maury (FR) Al Saoudi (FR) Dahess (GB) Amer (SA) Kaolino (FR) Jaafer ASF (GB) Parador (FR) Madjani (FR) Mahabb (AE) AF Albahar (AE) TM Fred Texas (USA) Khoutoubia (FR) Orient Express (FR) Kerbella (FR) Akbar (FR) Monsieur Al Maury (FR) Shuwaiman Al Bahrain (GB) Tidarbret (GB) Nivour De Cardonne (FR) Azadi (FR)

1st 10 9 5 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

2nd 3 7 2 4 2 4 2 0 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1

3rd 2 10 2 1 3 3 1 0 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0

4th 2 10 2 2 2 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

2019 saw a first sires' Championship for Wathba Stallions' Munjiz, just edging out Shadwell Arabians No Risk Al Maury by one win.

Both were Group 1 PA winners and are chestnut sons of Kesberoy who has been the dominant sire line in the UK this season, taking over Madjani's crown. Both also come from highly succesful damlines too, Munjiz being out of the outstanding racehorse Unchainedd Melody (dam of Kahayla Classic winner Mizzna), whilst No Risk Al Maury was out of Nectarine Al Maury. He is a brother to the dam of Mister Ginoux and Lady Princess, whilst Necatarine Al Maury is out of Nevadour, a leading progenitor in France and the bloodline of many good racehorses and sires including Nizam, Dahess, Bibi De Carrere, Norphe, Nez D'or and Mkeefa.

Runs 36 56 19 21 11 20 10 4 30 9 7 2 5 4 2 2 7 6 4 4 2

Prize Money 130,260 22,440 22,032 26,620 334,260 15,680 3,699 3,720 8,175 18,036 32,700 15,500 1,564 1,535 2,500 1,375 1,560 940 600 3,400 560

Munjiz (FR) (C) Wathba Stud

It is well timed as Shadwell Arabians relocated him to the UK for 2019. He represents the blood of champion racehorse Al Mourtajez and is described by his former UAE trainer Doug Watson as: "The best horse I've ever been around, we had alot of nice Arabians, like Bopp Moon and Kandar Du Falgas, but there's never been one like Al Saoudi. His career was cut short, I think he could have done anything but for that. I always thought he would make a great sire."

Top earners for Munjiz include the Group 1 PA winners, Bayan (Hatta International Stakes) and Hayyan (UK Arabian Derby), both raced in the colours of his owner, HH Sheikh Mansoor and were trained by Frederic Sanchez in France.

Domestically Al Azeeza and Thamaraat added to Munjiz's DIAR winners.

No Risk Al Maury improved on his 2018 total, with a number of young maiden winners Ameed, Mawarid, Jadaayil, Jaahez, Izenterisky and Zaheen, as well as estblished performers like Rafeef.

Al Saoudi (right) has achieved a breakthrough season, with Awzaan, Tijaary and Farhaa representing him in the winners enclosure.

Of the younger sires with winners there is Jaafer ASF, sire of Abiyah Athbah, whilst TM Fred Texas, who has been doing well around the world with his early runners. His son Methgal was a six length winner of the UK's top juvenile race, the DIAR International Stakes (Gr3PA).

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ARO Champion Arabian Racehorse 2019 - TIJAARY

ARWEN FORTA

NEW FOR 2020 SATTAM

James Owen Racing Club leading the way for UK Arabian Racing Syndicates For more details contact: James (07880 700559) or Jenny (07739 791545) ARWEN FORTA - SATTAM - TIJAARY THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE www.jamesowenracing.com

TIJAARY

DEBBIE BURT EQUINE CREATIVE MEDIA ARO Official Photographer HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Award Winner International Photographer To view and purchase photos from the 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019 ARO seasons please visit www.equinecreativemedia.smugmug.com THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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Arc Weekend Review 2019 The French Arabian racing highlight is undoubtedly Autumn's 'Arc' weekend.

Starting with Europe's only Purebred Arabian racehorse sale and followed by three days of quality racing covering four Group1 PA races at Saint-Cloud and ParisLongchamp.

Lot 87 Nahaab (FR) a Mahabb half-brother to Mister Ginoux (FR) and Lady Princess (FR)

At first glance it would be easy to view the 2019 Arqana Purebred Arabian Sale in a negative light, with the loss of a number of the eye-catching lots in the run-up to the sale. However, it would seem that the PA market is at last finding itsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; level, after the decline in 2017 and 2018, with the average, median and aggregate figures all showing an improvement on those years.

The percentage of lots sold was up by 6% to 74%, the average price was !28,204

(+ 5.81%), with turnover at !2,284,500 (+7.13%).

The leading vendor, as last year, was the Haras de Saint Faust, whose 13 lots went for a total of !337,000. Nicolas de Watrigant signed for the top lot at !240,000, for Nahaab, a yearling consigned by Yann Creff.

Full results at: www.arqana.com

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Bred by EARL du Champ Gignoux and Elodie Bellaud, the yearling colt is by Mahabb, as were the top lots of 2015 and 2016.

Speaking with the French Purebred Arabian after the sale, Nicolas de Watrigant, who was acting on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing, said of the purchase: "Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a harping back somewhat to the past as in 2012 I acquired the brother [by Amer for !160,000]. Christened Mister Ginoux he

went on to develop into the super performer which we all know. Lady Princess his sister (by General), has already triumphed at Gr1 PA level and a further win at the top-level tomorrow could be on the cards. The dam Nacre"e Al Maury (Kesberoy) is above reproach. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A splendid colt, he struts around like a lord and hails from a remarkable breeding academy, and namely that of Monsieur Bellaud. "

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Yann Creff with Nahaab (FR) and Mathieu Lamier

"Sheikh Joaan Al Thani was determined to get this colt at all costs. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to be able to secure such a horse as the prospects of him standing as a stallion are considerable. His pedigree is exceptional and particularly as it is devoid of the blood of Amer. This makes him an interesting proposition when it eventually comes to breeding him to the current crop of mares. He was the star turn of the sale."

The dam Nacre"e al Maury (Kesberoy), won the Prix Damas (Gr3 PA) and is a sister to No Risk Al Maury. Mister Ginoux, her first foal, won five times in the colours of Al Shaqab and currently stands at the Haras de Thouars. Lady Princess is now a dual Group 1 PA winner and was only narrowly beaten in the Qatar Arabian Derby (Gr1PA) this month after missing the break and enduring trouble in running.

Nicolas de Watrigant

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The second highest price of !190,000 was for a horse in training, bred by the Niarchos Family and consigned by Philip Sogorb, Minstrel was sold to Qatari based trainer Debbie Mountain for owner Abdullah Hassan Ali Abdulmalik. Placed on his debut over 2000m, he was fourth to Lady Princess in the Al Rayyan Cup (Gr1PA) in Deauville in the summer. He then shed his maiden tag for an important catalogue update when beating 14 home in the Prix Flipper – Wathba Stallions Cup at Mont-de-Marsan in September.

Speaking with the French Purebred Arabian after the sale, Mountain commented: “We have a very solid group of English thoroughbred performers at our disposal, but we are also planning on developing the PA side. Our Qatari breeding operation is in an embryonic stage. However, the ‘boss’

is intent on winning races in the PA sector and the colt was the best horse in the sale!

"We paid over the odds for him, but he was on the shopping list of the top Qatari trainers. He is due to leave for Doha shortly.

Acquiring a horse from the top ownerbreeder operation such as the ‘Niarchos’ family, is always a special feeling.”

By Majd Al Arab, he is the first foal of Colette, who is a full sister to three winners and Group placed performers in Tandor, second in the French Arabian Breeders' Cup Mile (Gr1 PA), Cobalto, third in the Prix Kesberoy (Gr1 PA) and Xavier third in the Prix Tidjani (Gr3 PA). Pegasus was exported to Russia where he won two Group races and now stands as a sire. All are by Dormane.

Lot 113 Minstrel (FR) is bound for Qatar THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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Lot 71 Malhaika (FR)

Nicolas de Watrigant was in action again, this time purchasing lot 71, Malhaika for !95,000 on behalf of Khalifa Al Attiyah for Al Jeryan Stud in Qatar. Consigned by the Haras de Mandore she is another Mahabb product and is tested in-foal to Al Mourtajez.

Nizam, Muqadaman, and a colt foal by Al Mourtajez, Al Mal.

Malhaika was placed in Seville at four years when in training with Damien de Watrigant from only six starts. She is a half-sister to three winners headed by Zaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;abeel International Stakes (Gr1PA) winner Radames (by Kerbella), Prix Dormane (Gr3PA) winner Nerbah (by Nizam) and Memoralia, a Group winner in Russia. Her half-sister Maiziane was unraced, but is the dam of five winners in the UK and France, including UK PA Derby second Najlaa.

From the great female line of Cherifa, to date Malhaika has a yearling colt by

Radames (FR) and Dane O'Neill

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Lot 110 Shamayel (FR) was one of six purchases by Chantilly Bloodstock At !66,000 Shamayel was the most expensive of six purchases by Ge"rard Larrieuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chantilly Bloodstock. A daughter of AF Albahar she was one of two wild card entries, a winner of the Prix Dragonne on her debut at Caste"ra-Verduzan, over 1700m, just four days prior to the sale.

Trained by Elizabeth Bernard, she was bred

by Mubarak Al Naem and raced in the colours of Mohamed Fahad Al-Attiyah.

another daughter of AF Albahar, Bint Jakkarta, who won the 2014 Al Rayyan Cup (Gr1PA), though she was foaled in Qatar.

She now joins the team of Sheail Bin Khalifa Al Kuwari, who colours have been successful in France and Qatar with Easter De Faust and Lady Princess.

Mubarak Al Naem breeds both thoroughbreds and Arabians, now divided respectively between Kilfrush Stud in Ireland and the Haras Du Thouars in France.

His most successful Arabian to date is THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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Lot 28 Shaaraf (FR) is a full brother to R'Ezala (FR)

More sale success for the Mandore bloodlines as Lot 28, Shaaraf was sold to Oman for !65,000. Nicolas de Watrigant signed on behalf of Saad Suhail Bahwan Al Mukhaini making the son of Nizam the highest priced two-year-old of the sale.

He is a full brother to Râ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ezala, who is trained by Damien de Watrigant for father Jean-Marc. Râ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ezala was runner-up to Bayan in the Shadwell Arabian Stallions Hatta International Stakes (Gr1PA) at DIAR in July and is also a dual winner over 2100m in France.

Like Mahlaika, Sharaaf is descended from Dubai International Stakes winner Cherifa, and his dam, the Group winner, Cherazade is a full sister to the Group winning broodmares, Djesabelle, Djezika and Ziva, all by Dormane.

Damien and Jean-Marc De Watrigant

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Sheail Bin Khalifa Al Kuwari’s exciting team of fillies continues to grow as just six lots earlier he purchased Aya Taouy for !63,000 also through Larrieu. She is a full sister to Djet Taouy, a multiple Group 1 PA winner in the UK and France and now a stallion on the Royal Cavalry of Oman’s roster.

Bred and initially raced like Djet Taouy by Manuela Daverio-Scharfenberg, she was consigned by Charles Gourdain for whom she finished fourth on debut. Sold with an entry in following day’s Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches (Gr1 PA), on only her second career start she was no match for the battle-hardened Lady Princess and will now continue her career in Qatar.

The dam, Win Taouy, is by Drug and has also produced the multiple PA Group winner and sire Ameretto (by Amer).

Charles Gourdain

Lot 103 Aya Taouy (FR) is a full sister to Djet Taouy (FR) THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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Lot 55 Lwsail (FR) heads to Tunisia

Following his sale for !62,000, the 2017 Jebel Ali Zaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;abeel International Stakes (Gr1PA) winner Lwsail will continue his stallion career in Tunisia. Purchased by Paul Nataf on behalf of Tunisian entreprenuer and Arabian racehorse breeder and owner, Mohamed Mezghani, Lwsail will join his other French-bred stallions Djelmane (by Dormane), Kandar Du Falgas (Kesberoy) and Tidjam Lotois (by Tidjani).

Lwsail won on his three-year-old debut over 1400m in Bordeaux, and was also Group placed four times. He is by Amer out of Kerra, one of the few horses to defeat the champion sire on the racetrack.

Kerra is a half-sister to the Group 1 PA winner, Parador (by Dormane) and his brother Prado, who are both sires.

Mohamed Mezghani at Arqana in 2018 THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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Lot 18 Sahis (FR) from the first crop of Al Tair (GB)

UK Champion Trainer James Owen also came home with two lots to add to his team for 2020. Consigned by the Haras du Grand Courgeon, Lot 18 Sahis, was an unbroken three-year-old colt by the Group 1PA winner Al Tair out of Amindala Princess, an unraced daughter of Akbar.

He is from the family of French Arabian Breeders Challenge Classic - HH Sheikh Zayed Cup (Gr1PA) winer Khataab.

His second purchase was Lot 108, Sattam, a four-year-old colt by General out of Al Basheeq who had been in training with Thomas Fourcy. She has already produced two winners by Amer, or Amer sons and is from the family of Group 3 PA winner, Ibn Azadi and to the sires Al Sakbe, Al Mouwaffak and Magic De Piboul. Owen stated that Sahis is for sale or syndication, whilst Sattam will join his team of horses in the successful James Owen Racing Club for 2020.

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Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains (Gr1PA) 2000m 3yo AMYR DU SOLEIL (GB) (3 c Amer x Balladore (Dormane)) Owner: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani Breeder: Du Soleil Stud Trainer: Thomas Fourcy Jockey: Julien Auge

Remaining in Saint-Cloud, the racing commenced the following day, with the first of the four Group 1 PA races to be held during the three day racing spectacle.

In the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains, the British-bred Amyr Du Soleil could not have been more impressive, as he gained his first Group 1 PA win in the manner of a champion in waiting. Ridden by his regular partner, Julien Auge, he has now run-up a sequence of three wins, all at Pattern level.

With a winning margin of six lengths

between him and his nearest challenger, Jarif, he looks a most exciting prospect for the top four-year-old races next season.

A product of the Anglo-French Du Soleil Stud (see forthcoming Winter edition), he is another Group 1 PA winner for the champion sire Amer, out of the Dormane mare, Balladore. Though foaled in the UK, he was raised at the Haras Du Sauboas and remained in France to be trained by Thomas Fourcy.

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Above: Mounjared Al Cham (FR) enters the parade ring. By Azadi out of Al Moutawaikila, he is trained by Thomas Fourcy for Al Shaqab Racing and finished third. Below: Eventual second, Jarif (FR) and Jean-Bernard Eyquem. By Dahess, he is the second foal of Kiss De Ghazal and is owned by his part-breeder Haif Mohammed Al Ghantani and trained by Elizabeth Bernard.

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Amyr Du Soleil made his debut in June, finishing second over 2000m in the Prix Quitaine – Wathba Stallions Cup at Toulouse, in the colours of Lisa Deymonaz, however by his next outing at La Teste, he had been sold to her former employer, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani. At La Teste he was a ready winner of the 1900m Prix Tidjani (Gr3PA) and followed up in the French Arabian Breeders’ Challenge - Poulains (Gr2PA) at Toulouse, two months later. He has proven himself effective on good and now on very soft ground, and is clearly suited by the classic distance of 2000m.

This was a third victory in the race for owner and trainer. Fourcy who has also won the race in his riding days commented:"He’s a horse that is only going

to improve with age. I told the owners at the beginning of the year that he was a very nice horse and those impressions have been confirmed. We’ve managed him very carefully this season and he hasn’t had to force his talent to win his races. It was a bit tougher for him here, but he still stamped his authority.

"As for the ground easing, he gallops in such a way that I had no fears about him acting on the ground. He should do well over the winter and I’m hoping that he develops into a very smart four-year-old and consequently a Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA) contender."

Watch the race here: https://youtu.be/CrteRDrHalM

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Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches (Gr1PA) 2000m 3yo LADY PRINCESS (GB) (3 f General x Nacree Al Maury (Kesberoy)) Owner: Sheail Bin Khalifa Al Kuwari Breeder: EARL Champ Ginoux & Mme E Bellaud Trainer: Thomas Fourcy Jockey: Christophe Soumillion

With her sales topping half-brother going through the neighbouring ring less than 24 hours earlier, there were great expectations for the unbeaten Lady Princess in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches (Gr1PA).

Just like Amyr Du Soleil, she had started her racing career in the the colours of Lisa Deymonaz, and though she had been bought to complement the Du Soleil broodmare band, like Amyr, she was sold after her first run, though in this case to another collector of top class fillies, Sheail Bin Khalifa Al Kuwari. She has remained in

the care of Thomas Fourcy so provided him with a notable double that day.

Though this was her narrowest winning margin to date, she still remains a filly of huge potential having added the premier three-year-old fillies race in Europe to her win against colts in the Al Rayyan Cup (Gr1PA) in Deauville in August. After the race Fourcy noted that they expected to give the filly a break, however she must have come out of this race well as she was back against the colts in the Qatar Derby (Gr1PA) for three-year-olds in Doha.

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Above: Meethag (FR) a half-sister to the 2018 winner Al Haffanah by Dahore De Brughere, is trained by Thomas Fourcy for Al Shaqab Racing and finished second.

Below: Artemis (FR) and Jean-Bernard Eyquem. By Azadi, she is trained by Elizabeth Bernard and finished third in the HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Kahlifa Al Thani silks

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She certainly didn't run flat in finishing short head behind the winner, though diminutive size probably didn't help when encountering trouble. She showed great determination to make up lost ground and will surely be back in the winners enclosure soon.

Of her win at Saint-Cloud Fourcy said: "The ground wasn’t necessarily her cup of tea but Lady Princess has such a big heart.

After idling in front, the filly rallied when my other runner in the race turned on the heat. She has all the attributes of a champion and is the ‘Zarkava’ of the Purebred Arabian world. She’s a great filly although not much to look at in pure physical terms."

Lady Princess is the first Group 1PA winner for her sire, General, who stands at the

Haras du Grand Courgeon.

Watch the race here: https://youtu.be/52PynNNnCow

Winning jockey Christophe Soumillon and trainer Thomas Fourcy share a joke whilst waiting for the trophy presentation at Saint-Cloud

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Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments (Gr1PA) 2000m 4yo fillies RAAHAH (FR) (4 f Asraa Min Albarq x Massamarie (Tidjani)) Owner: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani Breeder: Al Shahania Stud Trainer: Francois Rohaut

Whilst the three-year-old races the previous day had gone to the acknowledged leaders in their class, the win by Raahah in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments (Gr1PA) was more of a surprise. Certainly, to break your maiden in the most competitive race of itsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; class after seven previous attempts is an achievement, however it is also a testament to the patience of her owner-breeder HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani and her trainer, Francois Rohaut.

In the first two runs of her juvenile year she finished behind subsequent Group winners

Bayan and Jazmah Athbah, but it was not until her second placing to Durat Al Zaman in the Prix Mandore this July that she suggested that their patience might eventually be rewarded.

It was a much closer affair when a narrow third in the Prix Nevadour the following month, behind Jazmah Athbah and Al Ryma Monlau, but showed she was now going the right way. She made amends in a tight finish between her, Jazmah Athbah and Vivibaina with a neck separating the fillies on the line.

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Clockwise from above: Second, Jazmah Athbah, third, Vivabaina, fourth, Durat Al Zaman, fifth Al Haffanah

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After the race, winning jockey Franc#oisXavier Bertras, commented: "Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very tough filly. Furthermore, she had been unlucky on her previous race. She has made great strides forward in the lead-up and was in peak condition coming into the race. A very tough filly was needed to win this and she was certainly that today.

"Her trainer is a dab hand when it comes to aiming his horses at specific races. He has ensured that the filly has reached the required maturity on the big occasion. My filly refused to lie down and never flinched the issue. We let the other runners in the field slug it out and we knew full well that the filly would dig deep when the chips were down."

Rohaut who was winning the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments for the first time elaborated on the fillys' progression to Group 1 PA winner saying: "She was a mediocre filly last year. However, she embarked on an upward curve in the spring and has improved from race to race.

She has toughened up and, at present, has proved to be a very tough customer when it comes to a battle. As the battles mount up some horses tend to shirk the issue, but

others tend to improve as a result and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the case with her. When I became aware that the ground was softening, I knew that it was going to be a plus. Having reached maturity, the filly showed what she is capable of."

He continued, suggesting that after her break she is likely to return to ParisLongchamp next year to contest the Qatar Arabian World Cup. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A super filly, she hails from a very good breeding academy and one intent on leaving no stone unturned when it comes to achieving the best possible results. She will now be roughed off for the season and, when she returns to training, we are going to gear her preparation towards the big race.

"The European racing programme caters for five-year-old Purebred Arabian mares.

She continues to be on the upgrade. The ground may have hindered some of the other runners in the race, but not her. Her victory is that of the whole Al Shahania Stud team."

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Raahah has provided a much need first Group 1 PA winner for their stallion Asraa Min Albarq (Amer). He retired to Al Shahania Stud as the winner of the Dubai International Stakes (Gr1PA) and the brother of Qatar Arabian World Cup winner, Areej, but has not been in great demand with breeders so far.

Watch the race here: https://youtu.be/BTxYEqd2VQc

Her dam Massamarie (Tidjani), is one of the foundation mares of Sheikh Mohammedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Al Shahania Stud, producing three other top class performers in Ebraz, Mared Al Sahra and Muâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;azzaz. Mared Al Sahra stands alongside Asraa Min Albarq, whilst Mu'azzaz is now at the Haras Du Grand Courgeon.

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Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1PA) 2000m 4yo+ EBRAZ (GB) (6 h Amer x Massamarie (Tidjani) Owner: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani Breeder: Al Shahania Stud Trainer: Julian Smart Jockey: Maxime Guyon

Ebraz crowned himself a true champion with a decisive win in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1PA) at ParisLongchamp.

Settled in the rear with eventual second Khataab, he chased down the long-time leader Mashhur Al Khalediah with a strong run down the centre of the course. Ebraz resolutely held off Yazeed, who faded to fifth after a brief challenge, leaving Tayf to be the closest of the Um Qarn runners, as he made up ground in the dying strides to finish fourth.

This was another remarkable performance for trainer Julian Smart who has now trained five individual winners of Europe’s premier challenge for Purebred Arabians.

Adding Ebraz to the role call of Areej, Mkeefa, Djainka Des Forges and most recently Gazwan, all who raced in the colours of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Jockey Maxime Guyon, who rode Ebraz to victory in August at Goodwood said: "The horse deserved that and he proved himself to be a truly top notch performer. Two years ago, I won this race on Gazwan for the same yard [at Chantilly], but Ebraz went close on that occasion. However, this year he has proved to be a cut above his rivals.

Ebraz had [only raced once on soft ground] which explains why I gave him an ‘unhurried’ ride. His turn of foot enabled him to overcome the lack of pace."

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Julian Smart was delighted for his horse saying: "We have specifically targeted this race. Furthermore, I’m very lucky to be able to train PA horses of such exceptional quality, and ones which are bred by Sheikh Mohammed. The fact that the horse bypassed the prep race for this event was certainly a plus, as the gap between the two races is a mere three weeks. Ebraz won

the The Amir Sword (Gr1 PA) as a four-yearold. As a general rule, I don’t tend to train horses which are that precocious. However, he is going to be even better as he gets older. He has just won the world’s top PA prize as a six-year-old, and so why shouldn’t he be able to repeat that success next season?"

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Above: Ebraz (GB) and Maxime Guyon are clear of Khataab (FR) Mashhur Al Khalediah (FR) and Yazeed (FR) Below: Ebraz (GB) and Maxime Guyon led into the winners enclosure

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He added: "Gazwan, who is a living legend in his own right, hadn’t achieved as much when he was the same age. This year, Ebraz has achieved an incredible feat by becoming the first PA horse to achieve an unprecedented treble by successively landing The Amir's Sword (2,400m) at Doha, the Qatar International Stakes (Gr1 PA, 1,600m) at Goodwood in the summer, plus the Qatar Arabian World Cup (2,000m) in the autumn. That’s a trio of races run in three different distances and in as many countries – without forgetting the travel factor. Clearly, a horse of exceptional quality is needed to achieve this."

in January with a win in the HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani Cup (Gr2PA) over a mile. Two weeks later he took in a conditions event over 1850m which set him straight for a second win in the HH The Amir Sword in February - denying Gazwan a much hoped for third win. Five weeks later Yazeed, Gazwan and Tayf who had filled in the places, reversed the form and he had to settle for fourth in the Gold Sword. It would be his only defeat this year.

Whilst stablemate Gazwan has retired with honours, going out with a Group 1PA win at Newbury, the track where he made his debut, 2019 most certainly belongs to Ebraz. He was quickly off the mark in Doha

Celebrations in the winners enclosure for a fifth win for the Al Shahania team with Ebraz (GB) Thierry Chambord, Julian Smart, Paul Basquin, Abdul Rahman Al Mansour, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani, Maxime Guyon and Dean Lavy THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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After the race the small but select team that trainer Julian Smart takes to Europe for HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani decamped to Chantilly, to rest and prepare for the summer campaign with the Qatar Arabian World Cup as the ultimate target. Ebraz opened his account at the Shadwell sponsored La Teste meeting in early July, with a narrow victory in the Shadwell Coupe de Sud-Ouest des Pur Sang Arabes (Gr3PA) over 1900m. Ebraz has often pulled himself up when in front for too long and on that occasion, ridden for the first time by Pierre-Charles Boudot, the jockey was almost caught out, with Ebraz winning by a nose.

Whilst Gazwan headed to Newbury, Ebraz, went to Goodwood, for the Qatar International Stakes (Gr1PA), a race in which he had made the frame for the last two years. This year there was to be no doubt about Ebraz’s superiority, as he was two three-quarter lengths clear of 2017 winner Tayf, with the 2018 winner Muraaqib, a further five and a half lengths

behind in fifth. It was a race that proved to be the perfect preparation for the World Cup for Ebraz. He now rejoins the team in Doha, with his sights firmly set on a recordbreaking third HH The Amir’s Sword in February.

This was a second Group 1 PA win in as many days for Ebraz’s dam, Massamarie, with Raahah taking the honours in the Juments on Saturday. Also by Amer out of Massamarie are the Group 1PA winners Mared Al Sahra and Mu’azzaz; Metrag and Irjam were Group 3 PA winners, whilst the filly Theeba was Group 1 PA placed.

Massamarie is a descendent of the highly influential Mandore, who gave her name to the de Watrigant’s stud and has created a remarkable legacy of champions.

Watch the race here: https://youtu.be/Nyp9LycbZYA

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Frédéric Sanchez Stable Focus The journey from dual champion apprentice to Group 1 PA winning trainer has taken Frédéric Sanchez all around the world, and one which is a long way from conclusion.

Frédéric Sanchez with Hayyan (FR) at Doncaster in September

Born and raised in Aix-en-Provence in France to a family with no racing connections, Frédéric Sanchez's early years were focussed on an entirely different professional sporting career, that of football. He represented his country, and when scoring against Italy at 11years-old, he felt sure that was where his

future lay. However, he failed to grow and was naturally disappointed when it became clear that life as a professional footballer would not be for him. Nonetheless, his small size was to become an asset and it was his father who suggested he become a jockey.

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A friend of his father’s advised that it would be better to start at AFASEC (France’s jockey school), so the young Sanchez left home for Chantilly and became apprentice to the English trainer John Hammond. Hammond, who announced his retirement this year, has never had more than 70 horses in his yard despite his top-level success. At that time his stable included horses of the calibre of 1991 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Suave Dancer, a horse that Sanchez would later ride in exercise when his regular work rider was not available, though certainly not at the beginning as Sanchez laughs: “At this stage, I was falling off every day”.

His chance came when Hammond and his assistant David Anderson pitched him against the stable’s other, year older, apprentice in a race. Sanchez finished ahead of his rival and his mentors agreed to try and make him a jockey.

He spent the winter in America at Santa Anita honing his skills, and then it was time to go back to France, where he became leading apprentice jockey.

Sanchez won not one, but two Eclipse Apprentice Awards in France (1991,1992) in a riding career which spanned 18 years and over 800 winners. Always in the top ten for his first nine years of riding, at 24 he was given a big opportunity – a three-month riding contract by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Proving a success, he remained for the season, attached to Patrick Biacone, for whom he would ride three Group 1 winners there and another for Tony Cruz.

He never scored at that level in France, though a career highlight was when finishing second in the 1998 Prix de Diane on Abbatiale. A tragedy he feels, as the filly broke down just 20 metres before the line and was beaten by a nose.

In the winters he added to his Hong Kong experience by riding in Japan and Singapore and spent the 2001/2 season in Dubai, with Erwan Charpy as second jockey behind Seb Sanders. At the time Charpy was leading trainer and Sanders, leading jockey. Sanchez laughs: “Tadhg O’Shea was my apprentice, so I hopefully I taught him something!”

Bandar(FR) and Frédéric Sanchez exercise at Meydan THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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Najah (FR) at La Teste

Whilst in Dubai he rode Arabians for HH The President, trained by Julian Smart and Julio Peromingo, as second jockey behind Wayne Smith. He also got his first taste of the Kahayla Classic, finishing sixth to Nez D’Or (Dormane) on Alto De Maligne (Djelfor), trained, like the winner, by Smart.

As he entered his thirties the battle with the scales was beginning to take its’ toll, he explains: “I was the first in my family to do this job, so I had no-one behind me to say keep going.”

He began to consider his options, saying: “I thought I would like to train, but it was never in my mind to have 100 horses, always a small stable, not to retire completely, but to ride and train at the same time.

“In the end, I retired from riding, before I started to train. I had met my wife Stephanie, so it was a perfect way to begin a new life - new wife, new career, we have been together 13 years now. We

started in Spain, in San Sebastian, very close to France, so it was easy to cross the border to run there. We trained around 10 to 15 horses and though we had good results over two years, we decided we needed to move to France because of the administration fees.”

They settled in Chantilly and after a three year wait, finally relocated to Pau, their first choice of training centre. They’ve been there for seven years, with around 20 horses, split between Arabians and thoroughbreds. Though not Group class, they have had valuable handicap success with the thoroughbreds, so business is good, however it is with the Arabians, where Sanchez is making his mark.

Sanchez credits his time as a jockey in Dubai for initiating his association with the former President’s son, Sheikh Mansoor, which began rather unpromisingly with the arrival of Thabit.

He said: “They brought me one horse and said he is not a champion, but see what you can do!”

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Thabit went on to win the 2016 Coupe de SudOuest (Gr3PA) at La Teste beating Mabrooka and Sir Bani Yas. More brothers and a sister followed. Bandar was third in the French Derby (Gr1PA) to Nafees and won a Moroccan Group 3PA, before becoming Sanchez’s first runner in the Kahayla Classic. He feels the sister Najah was better, she won the Prix Razzia III (Gr3PA) on her debut and two Group 2 PA’s at Toulouse, but her career was curtailed by injury. It was Hayyan who brought Sanchez his first Group 1PA success this year, winning the both the French Derby and UK Derby’s.

Having progressed from a maiden to Group 2 and Group 1 wins in four starts this season, she was a brave sixth at ParisLongchamp in October and will now be put away for 2020.

He continued: “So now we have Hayyan, the fourth foal from the mare, Dahwa. With Sheikh Mansoor, he is from the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, they give respect to horses and to people, and they are very honest. I am happy to train for them.”

The family connection is strong with the horses too, as his other Group 1 PA winner, Bayan, is out of Mowafaka, a sister to Dahwa.

Hatta International winner Bayan (FR) with Khalil Dababneh, Thierry Delegue, Raphael Delozier, Ioritz Mendizabal, Frédéric and Stephanie Sanchez THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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Hayyan (FR) with Frédéric Sanchez and Raphael Delozier at Doncaster Prior to the UK Derby, Sanchez had no desire to see Hayyan run in the World Cup saying: “If he won today, it would be my target for next year, as at four years he is too young. Maybe he will go to Abu Dhabi for the Jewel Crown, but we need to look after our older horses. We will have fewer horses from Abu Dhabi next year, as that crop was a poor season for breeding there.”

Hayyan’s first Gr1PA win has definitely brought Sanchez more attention, but of course it is different, he says: “When you win as a jockey, you finish the race, you go home, you have drinks or dinner with friends and family.

As a trainer you are involved 24 hours a day, every day. I am very close with my staff, which is why I prefer to have a small stable. I like to stay close to my horses, they are the same as my children.”

Hayyan (FR) and Ioritz Mendizabal

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One of those children, his son Gary, has embraced the new family trade of race riding.

He had his first ride under rules on December 3, 2017 when apprenticed to Christiane HeadMaarek, riding his first winner the following year. He accompanied the family’s two runners to Doncaster to ‘lead up’ and is now spending the winter in Qatar with Alban de Mieulle at Umm Qarn, before heading to America in the spring to join Patrick Biancone in Florida; like father, like son.

Since retiring from the saddle Sanchez’s goals have also changed, he had always wanted to train in Hong Kong but now he says: “We are concentrated here, though in the future it would be good to spend the winter in Abu Dhabi and the summers in France - that would be a good target.”

Gary Sanchez with Ibn Gadir (QA) third in the 2019 President of the UAE Cup-UK Arabian Derby at Doncaster THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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Bandar(FR) and Frédéric Sanchez exercise at Meydan

With two Group 1PA wins under his belt in the UK with Bayan and Hayyan, Sanchez has clearly got a taste for international competition. After finishing out of the money in Abu Dhabi’s Jewel Crown, Hayyan his leading colt, will be rested over the winter and prepared for the premier Group 1 PA’s races in France next year.

Speaking of his overseas training goals he concludes: “Obviously I would like to win the Jewel Crown and maybe the Kahayla Classic, but for the horses it is very tough on the Dirt. I would like to see this race run on the Turf, or maybe it is time they make a new race?”

With the appetite for global Arabian racing competition on the rise, that is surely a thought worth considering in the future.

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Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah UAE Stud Focus For over thirty years Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda has been racing Arabian horses, whilst he has been breeding them for almost as long. Passionate about the Arabian racehorse, he is just as passionate about his own bloodlines which represent his country, the United Arab Emirates.

Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda bought his first Arabian racehorses in the late 1980’s and though always having had an interest in the breed, it was ownership that really ignited his passion, fuelling his desire to become a breeder too. As with all true racing enthusiasts, the more he studied, the more he realised he needed to learn.

In 1990 he began to develop Al Aweer Farm, belonging to his family in the oasis village of the same name, which provides the ‘AF’ prefix of all his homebred horses.

Whilst horses have of course always been raced, in Dubai it became more formalised in the early 1980’s. In 1992 the Dubai Racing Club was formed and Nad Al Sheba racetrack opened,

with the now famous World Cup fixture starting in 1996.

In that first season of 92/93 Al Nabooda finished thirtieth in the owner championship with three winners from 23 runners. Yielding the same results in the next campaign, there followed some leaner years, though by 2000, his horse numbers had increased and Al Bahayes Farm, near Sharjah was purchased.Al Aweer houses the broodmares and foals in peaceful and shady surroundings, its trees nurtured by the natural water supply, whilst Al Bahayes lies on the plain below the Hajjer Mountains, it’s cooler, breezier climate an ideal environment for bringing on the youngstock.

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It provides pre-training facilities as well as plenty of large paddocks as Al Nabooda is a firm believer in allowing his horses free exercise in order to develop into strong, sound racehorses.

think I succeed because I have a lot of horses.

Not necessarily, it is not always true that if you breed a lot of horses, that you will breed a winner. I learn from my mistakes, nobody taught me anything.

By the end of the 04/05 season Al Nabooda entered the top twenty owners, finishing twelfth with 5 winners from 35 runners. Later that year Al Madam Farm was added, Al Hanouf Farm followed in 2010, both are also in the Sharjah area. Since the 09/10 season (with the exception of 2014/15) he has consistently finished in the top ten owners list, winning his first owner championship in 2016/17 and becoming the first private owner to do so. It can be argued that in racing, success is a numbers game and certainly in the last four years, where he has either finished first or third, his number of runners has significantly increased, this year his 53 winners have come from an impressive 367 runners.

You need to know your bloodlines, you need to know how to feed those horses, how to raise them, all this is a challenge, particularly in this country, and makes it tougher to win.”

On this subject he says: “Many people they

Owing to UAE rulings on certain bloodlines at that time, in 2015 the Haras de Gastines at Issé in France was purchased, with a view to breeding the horses he already owned prior to that decision, outside of the UAE. Though this has been a worthwhile experiment, Al Nabooda’s focus was always to promote UAE bred horses. He still has a number of broodmares shuttling to France to use AF Al Buraq, his homebred stallion now owned by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and standing at the Haras de Saint Faust under the Shadwell Arabians banner.

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Receiving the winners trophy for the 2019 Dubai Kahayla Classic won by AF Maher (AE)

Currently his bloodstock interests extend to around 400 horses, including 30 stallions. Most of the mares are based in the UAE, though this year he sent 15 to France to be covered by the UAE’s leading sire AF Al Buraq, 11 have returned to the UAE, with three remaining in France. When selecting his broodmares, his primary focus is on the bloodline, rather than racing results saying: “I always I look to the dam line, downwards. The stallion is important to me, but more the dam line - what they produce and what they are related to. If you look at most of my broodmares, they are unraced or just placed, but they produce Group horses. I believe more in the pedigree than performance.

“Actually, my broodmares who have won Group races, they haven’t produced for me like the others, but maybe they are still young and maybe in the future they will produce good horses.”

He does not believe in limiting himself with a

small number of bloodlines or to rely heavily on inbreeding, which he says is “easy to do”.

Explaining his beliefs further he says: “If you look at the French bred horses, they are the best in the world, they have good pedigrees. If you look back a few years ago, the speed that they have and the reason that they kept the breeding among them was because they have good stallions. But this will not help long term without introducing new lines and you can see that when they crossed with Amer and Burning Sand.”

His horses’ bloodlines come from all over the world including France, England, Russia and Saudi Arabia. He credits Mary Bancroft and her book on pedigree analysis, which encouraged him to collect sales catalogues and study the pedigrees of successful horses. He says: “In the beginning I looked at the results to see what was winning, then looked at the pedigree of those winners and then I went to buy horses related to those winners.”

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When Artificial Insemination is permitted in Arabian horse breeding, it may seem strange to keep so many stallions but Al Nabooda’s reasoning makes perfect sense saying: “In the past there were certain years when we needed to get permission to import the semen and we have a short breeding season in the UAE. As the mare may only come into season twice during that time, the importation delay can cause the mare not to be inseminated, so I by having my own stallions here, I will not be put in that situation again.”

Al Nabooda is clearly proud of the results from AF Al Buraq and his offspring so far, saying: “With Al Buraq you can feel something special in him and his foals.” His second owner championship is a direct result of his faith in his stallion, with over twenty of his individual winners this season being sired by him, including his Group winners AF Maher and Af Al Sajanjle.

With 30 of his own stallions based in the UAE he highlights several he has also used this year saying: “I have had promising results with AF Al Salaam, who is a half-brother to AF Al Buraq by Madoua De Piboul (by Dormane).

Madoua De Piboul was a gift from HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum to my farm, he won seven races. Al Salaam’s four-year-old son AF Saab won both the colts classics at Abu Dhabi this season, most recently the Emirates Classic in the silks of HH Sheikh Hamdan.

Al Nabooda also has other four-year-old winners by AF Al Salaam last season, the fillies, AF Tahoonah and AF Saabah and another colt AF Hajeej, who won first time out.

He is pleased with the early results from his stallion: “I think he is putting something special in those horses. They are different to Al Buraq children, but they are solid and I like their quarters.”

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He has also used AF Lafeh (by Amer), winner of the Mazrat Al Ruwayah (Gr2PA) at Meydan over 1600m, who broke the track records at Abu Dhabi over 1000m and at Sharjah over 1700m. He is a fine example of Al Naboodda’s wide mix of bloodlines as his dam, Houriya Bouznika was bred by the Haras de Sa Majeste Le Roi Hassan II in Morocco. She is by the French stallion Bartaba (by Manganate) out of the Saudi bred mare Hala Al Thaniya (by Sayaf).

He describes AF Sanadek (by Burning Sand) as “very solid, very big and he win many races”.

He is out of Fauvette Al Maury (by Djouras Tu) from the family of Akbar. A winner of seven consecutive races at Abu Dhabi, he was also runner-up in the Gulf Cup (Gr2PA) over a mile in Qatar. He is a half-brother to the filly AF Alghabra (by Amer) who eight wins

include the Mazrat Al Ruwayah (Gr2PA).

Bred by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Victor Adam is by the Kahayla Classic winner Nez D’Or (Dormane) out of Victorias Secrett (ZT Ali Baba) Darley Champion in the USA and sister to the multiple champion and Group winner, Unchainedd Melody.

Al Nabooda explains further: “He only won once [from two starts] but he had a problem before; we knew that, and I hope he will produce good children. All those stallions [mentioned here] have beautiful lines to mix with the broodmares I have, I think they can produce something interesting. With something you like, you do it, even if it is difficult - so I collect really good bloodlines.”

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AF Mathmoon (AE) wins the 2016 Dubai Kahayla Classic in the colours of HH Sheikh Hamdan

This month he has expanded those bloodlines to include three mares from Italy’s Razza de Piné, breeders of Lares De Pine, the first runner for their country in the Dubai Kahayla Classic.

He has purchased Razza Di Gallura, a ten-yearold daughter of Dormane. She is dam of Eghel de Piné, third in the 2019 UAE Arabian Derby in Abu Dhabi, and of the 3-year-old Avez de Piné, undefeated in Italy, and now in training in the Emirates. Fleur de Cardonne is another Dormane daughter and comes from the family of Nivour De Cardonne, whilst Stria de Piné is

by No Risk Al Maury, out of a full sister to the dam of Sylvine Al Maury and Sivit Al Maury.

Undoubtedly this faith in his own programme has paid off and though he admits to having made mistakes along the way, he has patiently learned from them. This willingness has so far yielded two winners of the Dubai Kahayla Classic (Gr1PA), first with AF Mathmoon (AF Albahar) in the colours of HH Sheikh Hamdan

and now AF Maher, winning in his own colours.

Both winners are by half-brothers which he bred, out of Al Hanouf (Sabaan), though with AF Maher, it is an even greater achievement as he also bred his dam AF Raad (Madour).

Though he does occasionally sell or gift his horses, it is always after great consideration. He feels that every one of his horses speaks to him with the desire to show him what they could do on the racetrack, if only allowed the time to do so.

He is proud of his achievements so far and hopes to write a book for the next generation of breeders. Not to list those achievements, which is he rightly says can be ‘seen straight away on the computer’ but so that new breeders in the UAE facing the challenges he has faced, may have a shorter journey to success than he has had.

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Ernst Oertel UAE Trainer Focus Three-Time UAE Champion Trainer Ernst Oertel, is the principal trainer for Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah and is an integral part of his success. They will be hoping for a repeat of their achievements in the new 2019/2020 UAE season, with a view to a European campaign in 2020

Oertel grew up in South Africa where his father had riding horses. After he had completed his time in the Army, he went to work on a stud.

The woman who owned it recommended that if he wanted to further his career with horses, he must go to England. Arriving in January his aim was to complete the stud course at the National Stud in Newmarket, however it didn’t actually start until June. With time on his hands he went to work for former UK Champion Jockey and horseracing legend, Lester Piggott, who by then had started to train. By the time he returned to the National Stud, he was already too experienced for the practical course, however they suggested he keep his job as Pupil Assistant

to Piggott, and still attend the lectures.

He then started training Arabians with Sarah Kellaway in Newmarket, looking back over his career to date, having trained in the UK, UAE and South Africa he says: “I liked Newmarket, it’s the best place for horses, you can’t beat it.

South Africa is ok, a little bit cliquey, like an old boys club, so that was difficult. I think the British train the best overall, they have the best facilities and look after the horses better. Al Asayl is beautiful, you have great facilities and it’s quiet, so that’s probably the best place I’ve been so far.”

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AF Maher (AE) and Tadhg O'Shea lead the way in the Dubai Kahayla Classic 2019

Ortel is based at Desert Stables in the heart Dubai and close to Meydan, using the same training facility as outgoing champion trainer Doug Watson. The 18/19 Season was Ortel’s third trainers’ championship, winning in 12/13 and 13/14 when he was based at Al Asayl for the President- an impressive achievement having lost his left leg above the knee after a fall from one of his horses in 2013.

Ortel is full of praise for his main patron: “I have been training for Khalid for three years, it’s a good relationship as I’ve actually known him for about 30 years. We started with about 25-30 horses and have built up from there, it’s now over 70.

“When I lost the job at Al Asayl I just asked if he would send me some horses and he did, though I was training for other people too.

He’s great. Even if we have a weekend when we don’t have many winners, he’s doesn’t complain, he’s happy, he knows I’m trying. He doesn’t put pressure on.

“Whether it’s a big race or a small race it’s nearly the same, though I’m sure a big race at Meydan is more special. He’s happy to see his

horses win, because it means so much for his breeding. It’s for the horse. If I say the horse needs time, he says ‘give it time’. He won’t push them.”

Reminiscing he continues: “I had a brilliant job at Al Asayl, but I have a brilliant one here too. When I first came here [to Desert Stables] Frank Gabriel [Executive Director of Dubai Racing Club] came by and said ‘do you think you can do anything? He has a lot of local breds’ - I think he thought I might not be here very long, as we’d get beaten and then we’d be out! It’s nice to prove them wrong. Khalid’s whole passion is to do it with his own horses and horses bred in the UAE.” As Al Nabooda explains: “For any breeder, his aim is to make his horse reach the track. Then the responsibility goes to the trainer and the team. It must all work together. Always you try not to push the trainer or the jockey. Tadhg rides the horses in the morning, so when we have more than one horse in the same race Tadhg can tell the other jockey what he feels about the other horse and this is very good.

This helps the horse, helps everybody.”

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Karl Oertel at Al Ain in November with Tadhg O'Shea

Oertel is delighted to be working with O’Shea again, as they had also been together at Al Asayl, he explains: “Tadhg has a good rapport with the Arabians, he’s a good jockey. I also think his strike rate with the thoroughbreds is still the best out of anybody here and he’s also been the quickest to ride 500 UAE winners. I think it’s crazy that other trainers don’t use him more. He works for Satish [Seemar], but comes here once a week and he’ll gallop 30 horses and won’t complain. He knows how I gallop and what I want to know. Antonio [Fresu] is a good rider too, I like him. It makes a difference working with good riders as it teaches the horses more, either in their work at home or on the racecourse.”

Al Nabooda is quick to credit the input from his team as part of his success, though it has been a long journey to the top. When he began in 92/93 he finished thirtieth in the owner championship with three winners from 23

runners. Yielding the same results in the next campaign, there followed some leaner years, though by the end of the 04/05 season Al Nabooda entered the top twenty owners, finishing twelfth with 5 winners from 35 runners.

AF Al Sajanjle (AE) and Antonio Fresu go to post for the Kahayla Classic

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Since the 09/10 season (with the exception of 2014/15) he has consistently finished in the top ten, winning his first title in 2016/17 and his second last season, becoming the first and so far, only, private owner to do so. It can be argued that in racing, success is a numbers game and certainly in the last four seasons, when he has either finished first or third, there has been a significant increase - this year his 53 winners have come from an impressive 375 runners, all are Arabians. Which is another first, as previous winning owners have also included thoroughbred success.

On this subject he says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many people think I succeed because I have a lot of horses. It is not always true that if you breed a lot of horses, that you will breed a winner. I learn from my mistakes, nobody taught me anything. You need to know your bloodlines, you need to know how to feed those horses, how to raise them, all this is a challenge, particularly in this country, and makes it tougher to win.â&#x20AC;?

Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah at Meydan

AF Sayf (AE) breaks his maiden at Al Ain in November under Tadhg O'Shea THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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AF Sajanjle (AE) at Desert Stables in the shadow of the Burj Khalifa

Al Nabooda is a great advocate of pre-training for his young horses which, along with the breeding, is overseen by Ortel’s brother Karl, who has been in that role for the past two years.

Once the horses are broken-in and trotting, they arrive at Desert Stables to continue their education in faster work and stalls training.

Ortel explains his methods saying: “I have three treadmills, which I use in the summer because it’s too hot, we ride until middle of May. Then they stop, go on the walker and the treadmills

and we take them swimming, going to Meydan for the pool, and then the track re-opens in August. We also have the paddocks to turn them out, so everything we need.

“HH Sheikh Hamdan gifted a new yard to Khalid that has a nice little hacking track, so we’ll start back in the night at the end of June, get them hacking and cantering. For me it takes 120 days to get a horse ready, they have to have enough time, but once fit, I don’t gallop them a lot between races.

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As an owner-breeder, the Dubai Kahayla Classic is the ‘best race in the world’ for Al Nabooda. He respects the form of his rivals and regards it an honour to have had two horses invited to run, the Group winners AF Maher and AF Al Sajanjle. Interestingly Ortel notes that when O’Shea won on AF Maher in a prestige handicap at Shahjah in November he told him, ‘I think this is your best horse.’

Following AF Maher’s win Al Nabooda commented: “AF Maher, proved that a local bred can compete and win world class prestigious races. Both AF Maher, and before him AF Mathmoon, made me proud, beyond my expectations and drew the attention of the world.

“Breeding a stallion like AF Maher, needs patience with a well thought out plan. We have been monitoring his performance regularly, maintaining brilliant consistency.

AF Maher is very sharp, competitive, unyielding and can beat the best. We were

very confident of his win and AF Maher proved just as we expected.”

With Al Nabooda, Ortel and O’Shea all winning their respective UAE Championships in 18/19 the aim will be to do the same again this season. Following his win on World Cup night O’Shea’s response highlights the rapport between them saying: “Winning the Kahayla Classic on Maher was fantastic. I am genuinely over the moon for Ernst who is a brilliant trainer, but more importantly one of the hardest workers as well.”

Continuing he said: “It was a dream come true to win for Khalid on World Cup night in my first season as retained rider to him. Though AF Mathmoon won in HH Sheikh Hamdan’s colours in 2016, to win the race in Khalid’s own colours was amazing. He genuinely deserves all the success he gets as he puts so much into the sport and I’m privileged and honoured as stable jockey to play a small part in what is a huge team effort from the bottom to the top.”

AF Maher (AE) and Tadhg O'Shea achieve an historic win in the Dubai Kahayla Classic 2019 THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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AF Kal Noor (AE) and Tadhg O'Shea winning at Jebel Ali (C) ERA

Now the season had begun in the UAE, Ortel is understandably excited for AF Maher and AF Al Sajanjle. He feels AF Al Sajanjle is probably best over 1600m, though he finished well behind in the Jewel Crown (Gr1PA) in November, it was his first run back and his best form at Group level is on Dirt. Oertel thinks they are still learning about AF Maher as the Kahayla Classic was only his second run over 2000m. He confesses that they hadn’t been sure he would stay as he had always been quite keen in his races. He will return to action in the New Year, in the Al Maktoum challenge series at Meydan as part of the Carnival.

He feels he has plenty of young talent at Derset Stables, notably the four-year-old AF Mouthirah (AF Al Buraq), “she’s from a good family and she’s exciting”. AF Mouthirah won the Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic over 1400m on her debut and then the Emirates Fillies Classic over 1600m, though a step up to 2200m in

Round 3 of the Triple Crown (Gr3PA) was too much on only her third start. Her dam AF Kalrami is by the Dormane stallion Ouragan Du Cayrou out of the Saudi mare Deema.

"There are a couple of late horses coming through AF Sayf (AF ASAWE'A Asawe'a x AF Al Hema) he’s an exciting colt. There's AF Saab (AF Alsalaam x AF Waed) who is with Sheikh Hamdan now, he won the three-yearold colts classic. I’ve got some nice horses coming through, some only had a couple of runs as for me last season, as they haven’t developed properly so I’ve given them a bit more time. It is a good position to be in."

One of those lightly raced colts, AF Kal Noor (AF Sanadek x Tarteel) won on his reappearance at Jebel Ali in November, whilst AF Al Aassi (AF Al Maqam Alezz x AF Majidah) was the first leg of a double for the team at Sharjah recently.

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Al Nabooda had intended to race a small team of Arabians in Europe this year, though had to postponed this plan until 2020 whilst Oertel undergoes further medical treatment for his leg, though a base still needs to be found. He explains: “We will be racing in all Europe, not just France. The facility I have in France has a track, but not where you can do fast work.”

“The Sheikh Mansoor programme seems to give medium horses an opportunity as well as the top horses, so you can take a range, say five to ten, but you don’t want to take too many.

The Dubai International Arabian Races series would definitely be a target as Khalid would want to support His Highness Sheikh Hamdan.”

Continuing he said: “We have very tough races here. As soon as you take your horse to another country you are not representing your name, you are representing the breeding in the UAE. The horse needs to show ability and strength, we cannot send an average horse, as in Europe they have very good horses, especially in the big races.”

Oertel has welcomed the news from the UK regarding the further integration of Arabian racing with thoroughbred racing in the country saying:"For me I think Arabian racing needs professional people. It’s our biggest downfall. We have a lot of money put into the sport, but I think it is let down by amateur attitudes and that goes from the stud book onwards. I’m not saying you can’t have amateurs involved, but you have to have consistent rules across the sport."

Ortel is looking forward it: “You’ve got to take quite versatile horses to Europe. We didn’t have the horses before, as these horses take time. I think all the horses from the UAE are late developers, as three-year-olds it takes a very special one to take on the French horses, but when they get older, they catch up and it evens out. Even at five years they are still a little bit behind, but if you keep them sound, you’ve got some good horses to work with.

"It is a great move forward. Arabian racing can only benefit from this."

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A look back at 2019 The editor's selection of the Arabian racing year in review

Phil Collington's string at exercise on Racecourse Side of Newmarket Heath in February

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Above: Al Shamoos (FR) exercises in the rain at Meydan Below: AF Maher (AE) and Tadhg O'Shea surrounded by media and the staff of Desert Stables on their way back to the winners enclosure at Meydan after winnng the 2019 Dubai Kahayla Classic (Gr1PA)

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Avez De Pine (IT) a three-year-old colt by AF Albahar, after winning the Premio Shadwell Arabian Stallions in Rome in April, owned and bred by Razza De Pine and trained by Endo Botti. Unbeaten in Italy, he has been sold to the UAE and is now in training with Musabbeh Al Mheiri for Mohammed Al Falasi.

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Above: James Owen's string follow the thoroughbreds home on Newmarket's Warren Hill training ground in April Below: Tayf (FR) after winning the President of the UAE Cup - Coupe de Europe (Gr1PA) at ParisLongchamp on French Guineas day in May

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Paramer Angel (GB) and Charlie Price head to post at Chepstow in May for Delyth Thomas. Price began his race riding career with Thomas, becoming ARO Leading Novice Jockey in 2016. Turning professional as a conditional National Hunt jockey in 2018, he is currently seventh in their 2019-20 Championship THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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Above: Jaldi Karo (GB) goes to post at Bro Park for the DIAR Stockholm Arabian Cup (Gr3PA) in June. He finished third to Ayman (FR).

Below: Mawarid (GB) and Isaac Buncle after winning the Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap at Chelmsford City for HH Sheikh Hamdan and James Owen. Buncle was winning on his first ever ride in public.

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Ebraz (GB) gets a post-race shower at La Test de Buch in July following his win in the Shadwell Coupe de Sud-Ouest des Pur Sang Arabes (Gr3PA)

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Above: James Owen puts the final preparations to his string on Racecourse Side in Newmarket, prior to DIAR 2019 Below: Salim Al Hakmani with Said Al Badi arrive at Newbury racecouse for DIAR 2019 with the Royal Cavalry of Oman runners

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Above: Antonio Fresu goes to post on Aves De Pine (IT) Below: Gazwan (GB) takes a shine to Julian Smart's jacket in the saddling boxes

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Above: Thomas Fourcy celebrates after Kair Al Cham's win in the UAE Embassy International Conditions Stakes, as does Frederic Sanchez's travelling head man, Raphael Delozier, leading in Hatta International winner Bayan (FR) with Ioritz Mendizabal Below: Victory salute from Olivier Peslier returning with Gazwan (GB) after a second Duai International Stakes win, whilst Phil Collington waits to welcome back Thamaraat and Tadhg O'Shea after their win in the Dubai Developments Premier Handicap

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Two previous Qatar International Stakes (Gr1PA) winners, above: Muraaqib (FR)(2018) and below: Tayf (FR) (2017) arriving in the pre-parade ring at Goodwood

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Above: In the stalls at Lingfield Park Below: Hajres (TUN) and Jean-Bernard Eyquem, the first Tunisian bred winner of a PA Group 1 after winning the HH Sheikh Zayed Cup at Royal Windsor in August

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Above: Kayclaire (GB) poses for a photo with Becca Thomas and Izzy Brown prior to winning the Best Turned Out Award in the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies (IFAHR) race Below: Callymay (GB) and Charlie Price lead the runners in the ARO Twentieth Anniversary Handicap at Chelmsford City, won by Al Bustan (GB) and Stephen Harrison (blue blinkers)

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Above: BHA Starter Peter Haynes and Assistant Starter Ryan Colley with the stalls team at Wolverhampton Below: Syrah Gris (GB) gets a kiss on his retirement win from Will Pettis

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Above: Melabi (FR) on the walkway to the paddock at Doncaster Below: Stalls team lending a hand at Wolverhampton

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Above: David Probert signs racecards as part of a visit by Racing to School at the final race of the ARO season at Lingfield Park in September Below: Charles Gourdain at the Arqana PA Sale in October

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Lot 1 Hera De La Cere (FR) outside the Arqana Sale ring at Saint-Cloud. By Dahess she is a two-year-old half-sister to the PA Group winners Nymphea Du Paon and Darius Du Paon. Consigned by the Haras de l'Abbaye she was sold privately for "15,000

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HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani's Artemis (FR) in the racecourse stables at Saint-Cloud THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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Above: Durat Al Zaman (FR) gets consoled by owner-breeder Dr Mohammed Al Nujaifi after finishing fourth in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments (Gr1PA), a race he had won with homebreds for the previous two years.

Below: Francois-Xavier Bertras is congratulated by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani for his win on Raahah (FR)

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Above: Julian Smart with Maxime Guyon after Ebraz gives him and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani a fifth Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1PA) win Below: The Royal Cavalry of Oman's Al Mober (OM) and Szczepan Mazur go to post at Al Ain in November

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THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE Winter Issue !"!"

BREEDING SPECIAL

DU SOLEIL STUD

NEW STALLIONS - Gazwan at Al Shahania Stud

- The Anglo-French concern breeding Group 1 PA success

- Sivit Al Maury at Shadwell Arabians

WATHBA STUD - Meet Khalil Dababneh, executive Director of Al Wathba Stables THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

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The Final Furlong

Handing over the mantle of greatness...

Pictured (right) is Gazwan, fresh from his seventh and final Group 1PA victory in the Dubai International Stakes at Newbury, the track at which he made his debut at threeyears-old in 2014.

Walking towards him is Ebraz, who days later would make it third time lucky in the Qatar International Stakes at Goodwood and then go on to win the Qatar Arabian World Cup, bringing his own Group 1PA total to five.

Gazwan who amassed nearly $2 million USD in prize money has since joined Al Shahania Stud's stallion roster and will cover a limited book of approved mares in his first season.

Ebraz meanwhile, is back in training with Julian Smart in Doha and bids to make his own mark in history by winning a third HH The Amir's Sword (Gr1PA) when the race is run at the end of February.

THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

!"#$%&'() #*')+*#&(,* Congratulations

!"#$%&'($)&*&"++&,-$&,$"#

%-./) !0123456)#718416 !0123456)95:;<= !0123456)-1>=)95:;<= -<1>46?)(5@4:<)*4><7 BAILEYS HORSE FEEDS Tel: +44 (0)T1371 www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk H E 850247 A R A B I e-mail: A N Rinfo@baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk ACEHORSE