THEARABIAN RACEH O RSE
THEARABIAN RACEH O RSE
SPRING-2025
4AlNujaifiRacing-100yearsofracing andbreeding
7AlNujaifiRacingStallions
11AlNujaifiRacingTrophyPreview
WelcometotheSpringeditionofTheArabian RacehorsepreviewingtheUK'smostvaluablerace forArabiansfilliesandmaresandcelebratingthe longstandinginternationalcommitmenttoArabian racehorsebreedingoftheAlNujaififamily.
Yearonyear,Arabianracingcontinuestogrow aroundtheworldandwiththeincreaseinprize moneyforsuchevents,suchastheUAEPresident Cupseries,TheHHTheAmirSwordFestival,the DubaiKahaylaClassicandtheSaudiCupandArc de Triomphemeetings,internationalinterestinthese racesgrowswithit.
ThisyearAlNujaifiRacinghassponsoreda completelynewArabianracefortheUKatRoyal WindsorracecourseinBerkshire,aimingtopromote thebreedingofArabianracehorses.
Producedby equinecreativemedia
TheArabianRacehorseisprimarilyadigital magazine,howeverprinteditionsmaybeordered. Forfurtherinformationgotoourwebsite: www.thearabianracehorse.com
DebbieBurt Editor,TheArabianRacehorse
WoodfieldsCottage,4ChurchStreet,Chiseldon,Swindon,Wilts,SN4ONJ equinecreativemedia@gmail.com 00 44 7782 349 047 www.equinecreativemedia.com
Unlessotherwisestated,allfeatures,reportsandphotographsarebyDebbieBurt(copyright) Allrightsreserved.Printcopiesmaybeordered.Photographsmaybeviewedandpurchased at www.equinecreativemedia.smugmug.com
Frontcoverimage:AmirAlZaman, ©StefanoGrasso
AlNujaifiRacing
SheikhAbdulazizAlNujaifi
Photo:AlNujaifiarchive
SheikhAbdulazizAlNujaifi,fatherofDrMohammad AlNujaifi,figureheadofAlNujaifiRacing,sadly passedawayonTuesdayJune252024.Thefounder ofthefamily’sstudfarm,hewasinstrumentalin preservingtheArabianracehorseinIraq,aswellas ensuringthecontinuityofracinginacountry constantlyaffectedbychallengingevents.
TheAl-Nujaififamilyandtheirstudshaveplayeda majorroleinpreservingthecontinuityofracingand thepurityoftheArabianbreedinIraqduring challengingtimes.WhenSadamHusseinimposeda banonracingin1978,fewbreederstookupthe opportunitytobuytheseunwantedracehorses. SheikhAbdulazizAlNujaifisawthisasanopportunity tobuytheverybestbroodmaresavailable,including maresthathe’dbeenunabletopurchasewhenthey wereracingbecausetheirownerswouldn’tsell.This
enabledhimtoamassanenviableselectionof bloodlines.TheseincludedShabab,thebesthorsein Iraqfrom1973to1975,winneroftheirDerbyin 1975.HavingbeenboughtbytheIraqigovernment andgiftedtotheBahraniRoyalFamilyheeventually foundhiswaybacktoIraqonceracingresumed during1980/81andwaspurchasedasastallion.
TheIraqigovernmentalsoboughtandimporteda numberofArabianstallionsforbreederstousefree ofcharge,hopingtoupgradetheirhorses,along similarlinestothenationalstudsthathadsprungup inEurope.OneofthesewasValiantGold(General Gold),bredbyLadyWentworthintheUK,froma classicCrabbetbloodline,hetracesallthewayback toIbrahim,bredandraisedbySheikhAbdullahAbd Ar-RahmanoftheBanuSakrBedouins,andsireof thefamousPolishStallionSkowronek.
SheikhAbdulazizAlNujaifihadgreatfaithinthis smallchestnutstallionandwhenDrAlNujaifitook overtheracingandbreedingprogram,itscontinued successisdueinparttohisfather’sbeliefinValiant Gold.Thatsirehasshowntobeapositiveinfluence, appearinginmanyofthepedigreesoftherecent leadingAlNujaifiracehorses,suchasHilalAlZaman (Mencour)andGharraa(Matador12),thedamof championAlGhadeer(AlMourtajez).
Duringtheperiodfrom1992to2008theonly stallions(bothArabianandThoroughbred)thatwere availabletoIraqibreederswerefromtheAl-Nujaifi Studs.Tothisday,thefamilycontinuetobeleading ownerbreedersinIraqandsupportseveraltraining stablesaroundthecountryinBaghdad,Erbiland Mosul.Whenhetookoverthemanagementofthe breedingprogramDrAlNujaifiwishedtomaintain thefoundationsofthefamily’sIraqibloodlines, howeverheknewheneededtoaddinsome outcrosses.Initiallyhepurchasedseveralhorsesfrom Russia’sfamousTerskStud,includingMatador,the sireofGharraa.HethenlookedtoFrance,the modern-daysourceofArabianracehorses,to improvehisprogramfurther.Firstcamethestallion
Mencourandtwobroodmaresbythetopsire Dormanein2003.Themareshadbeenbredto Frenchstallionsbeforeallthreewereexportedto Iraq.
Thesecondstageofhisgrandvisionwastosenda selectgroupofhorsesfromIraqtoFrance,tosetup aracingandbreedingoperationthere,withthefirst horsesarrivingin2009.Heperiodicallyrefreshesthe FrenchbasedstockwithnewIraqibloodfromhis farmathome.Morerecentlyhehasalsodeveloped hisracingandbreedingoperationsinSaudiArabia witharound20racehorses,broodmaresand youngstock,aswellasastallion,currentlyMorad(Al Mourtajez),basedthere.
Thoughpedigreeisimportant,racingabilityis paramounttotheAlNujaifiRacingprogramme.As racingandbreedingmanagerValBuntingexplains, “Boththebroodmareandstallionmusthavea provenrecordonthetrack.Thebroodmareband areallfrom‘BlackType’mares,thosethathave proventhemselvesatGrouplevel,withone exceptionofayoungmarewhowasretireddueto aneyeinjury.
“Forusitisnotanoptiontobreedfromamarewho hasnotachieved-justtobreedanothernonachiever.Goodstallionscandefinitelyimprovea pedigree,buttheycannotbeexpectedtowork miracles.Thereareexceptionstoeveryrule,butit costsasmuchtoraiseaninferiorhorseasitdoesto raiseachampion,sowhytaketherisk?”
SincetheinceptionoftheFrencharmofthe programme,ithasconsistentlyproducedwinner afterwinner,mostnotablywiththeinitialsuccessof dualGroup1PAwinnerHilalAlZaman.BorninIraq, thentrainedinFrance,heisnowtheirflagshipsire andcapableofgettingtoplevelwinnerstoo.Whilst AlGhadeer,soldfirsttoAlWasmiyahRacingand nowaworldchampionforAlShaqabRacing,needs littleintroduction.
Howevertheirfillieshavealwaysbeenstrongtoo, theIraqibredmareHamiyahasbeenastandout producer.Everysingleoneofherelevenfoalsto racehaseitherwonand/orbeenblacktypeplaced. HerfirstfoalHurrawasatoughperformer,winning sixtimesintheNetherlandsandSwedenfrom 1800mto2750mandplacingninetimesfromGroup 1PAtoListedPAlevel.Hamiyahassincegoneonto producetwotopclassGroup12PAwinningfilliesin Muneera(Dormane)andAlShomoos(NoRiskAl Maury),aswellasAmirAlZamanwhoisnowa stallion.Herlatestfoaltorace,AmiratAlZaman,lines uptodayatWindsor.
Inthecurrentcropoffour-year-oldstheyhavetwo promisingcolts,Moneer,agrandsonofHamiya, beingoutofMuneerabyAlMourtajezandHaseef, alsobyAlMourtajez,outoftheirGroup1PAwinner Ghazwa.MoneerhasbeensoldtoWathnanRacing andwasthirdintheFrenchArabianDerby,aspartof aremarkable1-2-3-4-5forhissire.Haseefisretained andhaswonhislasttwostarts,whichincludesthe PrixDamas,Group3PAinBordeaux.Hismaintarget willbetheUAEPresidentCup–UKArabianDerbyat DoncasterinSeptember.
Muneera[centre]winstheQatarArabianTrophydesJumentsatChantillyin2017
AlNujaifiRacingStallions
DrMohammedAlNujaifiwithhisHilalAlZaman,winnerofthe2012Za'abeelInternationalStakesatNewbury andtheMalazgirtTrophyinInstanbul-bothGroup1PAraces
photoValBunting
HilalAlZaman (2005MencourxAmalAlthania)
Wasretiredtostudin2013andhasbeenthe EuropeanbasedstandardbearerforAlNujaifi RacingStallions.HestandsattheHarasdeThouars inFrancewithhis2026feesstartingat !1,500.
Awinnerof17racesfromthreetosevenyears,his mostimportantinternationalwinsweretheZa’abeel InternationalStakesatNewburyover6fandthe MalazgirtTrophyatVeliefendioveramile,whilsthis winsinIraqincludedtheIraqiGuineas,theIraqi Derby(twice)andtheIraqiJockeyClubTrophy (twice).Atoughandconsistentperformerhewas alsoplaced15timesincludingfinishingrunnerpin theCouped’EuropedesCheveauxArabes(Gr1PA) atSaint-Cloud.HewasthefirstIraqibredArabianto winintheUK.
SomeofhisbestprogenyincludeHiabAlZaman, winnerofthePresidentoftheUAECup(Grade1PA) intheUSAatPimlicoin2022,closingouthisUAE seasonthisyearwithawinintheGroup3PAAlAin Mile.BredbyAlNujaifiracingGhuratAlZaman(out ofGharraa(andthereforeahalf-sistertoAl Ghadeer),wontheQatarPrixdel’Elevage(Gr2PA) andthePrixDamas(Gr3PA).
HeisalsothesireofObaiyaArabianClassicthird NajeebAlZaman,aListedwinnerinSaudi,hehas returnedtoFrancetorecuperateafteraminorinjury inthisyear'sDubaiKahaylaClassicandisexpected tobebackontheracecourseinthecareofAlNujaifi Racing'sprincipalFrenchtraienr,Damiende Watrigantthissummer.HisdaughterAmiratAl Zamanrunstoday,andherbrotherAmirAlZaman hasrecentlybeenretiredtostudashisnatural successor.
NajeebAlZaman(above)andHiabAlZaman(below)
HisdamAmalAlthaniaisaproductofinbreedingto theUKCrabbetimport,ValiantGold,andaswellas producingHilalAlZaman,sheisthedamofOsailan, awinnerof25racesinIraq,includingtheIraqDerby andIraq2000Guineas,IzzAlKhail,fourwinsin France(sireofFareedhatElIzz),AlAsad,threewins inFrance,SwedenandIraq,allthreearealso stallions.
AmirAlZaman (2016HilalAlZamanxHamiya)
Retiredtostudin2022,hisfirstfoalsarenowtwo yearsold.
AwinnerofthePrixFleurd’Avril–SheikhaFatima bintMubarakCupinTarbesover2300m,his promisingracingcareerwassadlycurtaileddueto injury.ByAlNujaifiRacing’sdualGroup1PAwinner heistheimageofhissire,outofoneoftheirmost successfulbroodmaresHamiya,damoftheGroup 1PAwinningfilliesMuneeraandAlShomoos.Heis alsoahalf-brothertotheblacktypeplacedHurra,Al HaailandSalsabeel.HeisafullbrothertoAmiratAl ZamanwholinesupatWindsortoday.
AlNujaifiRacinghaslongbeenasupporterof
GhazalaAlZaman
AmirAlZaman'sfirstfoal,outofGhazwa ©ValBunting
breedersinIraqandtoreflecttheirsupportofUK Arabianracing,inadditiontothesponsorshipof races,theyaregenerouslydonatingafreecoverto thehighestplacedBritishbredhorseintoday’s eventatWindsor.
AmirAlZaman©StefanoGrasso
Qadem'sfirstfoal,outofMuneera ©ValBunting
Qadem (2019MoarrabxRaisoon) Retiredtostudin2024,hisfirstfoalsarrivedin2025
NewtostudistheIraqibredQadem,hisdam RaisoonisoutofTarfa,adaughterofAkbarfrom Russianbloodlines,herdamTroia,waspurchased byValBuntinginfoalattheArqanaPurbredArabian Sale.HeisavailablebynaturalcoverattheHarasDu MazetinFrance.
CurrentlystandingatstudinSaudiArabiaisMorad (2019AlMourtajezxNyriad),BoughtfromAl ShaqabRacing,hehascompletedtwoseasonthere andwillreturntoFracnefor2026,fulldetailstobe confirmed.
AlNujaifiRacingTrophyPreview
(ListedPA)OneMile RoyalWindsor
AmiratAlZamanandMarcoGhianibeatWindsOfFortune,ParamerAngelandVictoriaover1m2finthe WathbaStallionsCupatNewburyinJuly2024
AMIRATALZAMAN
5yoChmareOR82
HilalAlZamanxHamiya(AlHasim) AlNujaifiRacing JamesOwen PatCosgrave Cheekpieces
ByaGroup1PAwinningsprinter-mileranda half-sistertotwoGroup1PAwinnersin MuneeraandAlShomoos,thelatterwinning theSheikhZayedJewelCrownoveramile-at thetime,theworld’smostvaluableracefor Arabians.StartedhercareerinFrance,racing twicebeforemovingtotheUKwhereshebroke hermaidenondebutatthistripatYarmouth, thenfollowingupover1m2finaNewbury conditionsevent,bothongood.Fifth,when
hamperedbythewinnerandeaseddowninthe UAEPresidentCup-UKArabianDerby(Gr1PA) over1m2fatDoncaster,winnerhasproved smartandgoneontofurthertop-levelsuccess thisterm.
Probablyneededtherunonreappearanceat Doncasterwhenthirdover1m2fon Wolverhampton’stapeta.Runner-upintheprep raceforthisatLingfieldwhenmakingalmostall tobeheadedbyherstablemate,FareedhatEl Izzandwascomingbacktoherontheline.That racewasjustshyofthistripat7f135y,sothe extradistancetodaymayhelpherturnthe tables.
FAREEDHATELIZZ
5yoGrmareOR87
IzzAlKhailxFareedha(DhahmanBaghdad) AlNujaifiRacing JamesOwen
BillyLoughnane Hood
Placedover1500mand2000minPisa,Italyat threeyears,thenjoinedFrancoisRohautin France,butfailedtoscoreintwostarts.Winner onUKdebutover7fatNewburyandthen runner-upinaGroup2PAhereover6f.Found thingstoughbehindAlGhadeeratGoodwood nexttimeintheQatarInternationalStakes (Gr1PA)andwasprobablyoverthetoponher finalstartlasttermatChepstow.
Putthatwellbehindheronreturn,whenkept onwelltoscoreinafasttimebackatChepstow overthistripina0-80handicap.Sheputthat runtogoodusewhenwinningtheprepracefor thisatLingfieldlastmonth,underapenalty, withmanyofthesebehindher.Seekingahattrickfortheseason,willbesuitedbythe conditionsandshouldbeaworthyopponentto herstablemate.
PHARITZALANOOD
6yogrmareOR50
LahoobxLaila(TaharDeCandelon) PharitzRacingMrOkbahAashour CharlesBishop
SireaGroup1PAwinneroverthistriponthe PolytrackandofaListedPAeventatthe Curragh,whilstdamhasproducedtwowinners intheUK,oneatthistripandoneover1m2f andtwomiles.Besteffortlastseasoncameover 7fongoodwhenthirdinahandicapandnot beatenfar,butfailedtobuildonthateffortin subsequentstarts.
KeenonreappearanceonthePolytrackat Lingfieldoverafurlongless,brieflyleading, thoughfadedtofourth.Winnerlooksa potentiallysmartjuvenilecoltwhowas receivingweight,sonotdisgraced,butwas beatenbySassyandVictorialastseason.Sure toimproveforthatoutinginApril,butfirsttryat thistripandlikemanyofthese,issteppingup toblacktypecompany.
PharitzLahiaintheparaderingatLingfieldPark
PHARITZLAHIA
5yobmareLahoobxSophia(Kerbella)OR44 PharitzRacingMrOkbahAashour AidanKeeley
ShareshersirewithPharitzAlanood.Herdam wastough,winningtwiceatthistripfrom21 starts.Bothwinscameoneasyground, howevershewasplacedtentimes,oftenona fastersurface.
Stillveryunexposed,shehasfailedtomakean impressioninherthreestartstodate,allover sevenfurlongs,thoughittookherdamfive startstobreakhermaiden.Finishingwell behindFareedhatElIzzonherlatestoutingat Lingfield,sheracedfartoofreelyearlyon, givingherselfnochancewhenitmattered. Looksverymuchaworkinprogressandtoo soontowriteoff.
PROTOCOLZAYIN
5yobmHandassaxSamauringZayin(The Wiking)NOR ZayinArabianStudTimVaughan MrLaurenceGallacher
SireadualGroup1PAwinnerover1m2f,dam wontwiceover1m4fand1m6fbutwasalso placedtwiceover7f.
Foundthingshappeningabittoofastonher debutbehindFareedhatElIzzatLingfield, whenoutpacedandalwaysbehind.Willbe worseoffwithmostofthoserunnerswho reopposehere,howeverthoughshe’sentitled toimproveforthatdebutexperience,her pedigreesuggestssheshouldbebetterover further,givenmoretime.
SASSY
7yobmAssyxSpiritedGame(VertOlive) OR49
SteveBlackwell MrSBlackwell OliverCarmichaelHood, Cheekpieces
SireaQatarGuineaswinneratthistripwho wentontosecureGroup1PAwinsupto1m4f. Bestsontodatealsoscoredatthehighestlevel winningtheFrenchArabianDerbyover1m2f andtheQatarInternationalCupatthis distance.Damwasacourseanddistance winnerandisahalf-sistertoMehdaafAthbah whowassecondinaGroup1PAovercourse anddistance,andtomultipleGroupwinning sprinter-milerBayanAthbah.
Showedgoodforminhandicapslastseason, winningover7fandplacingthreetimesfrom thistripto1m5f,allfortoday’sjockey.Appears tobesuitedbyanygoingandwillbesharper forherreturnbehindFareedhatElIzzat Chepstow,whereshefinishedaheadof Victoria,butmeetsthembothonworseterms outsideofhandicapcompany.Interestingto noteherstablewonwithherhalf-sisteron Mondayandhasfirst-timecheekpiecestoadd toherhood.
VICTORIA
5yobmRBBurnxDolfinaD’Ibos(Mahabb)OR 58
MrsWendyHassallMrsWHassall EdwardGreatrexCheekpieces
Fromthefirstcropofhersire,whowasa Group1PAwinneratthisdistance.Damwasa usefulstayinghandicapperwinningthreetimes from1m2fto1m6f,whilstherdiminutivehalfsisterMayfair,managedtosqueaksomeblack type,placingthirdinaGroup3PAatthistrip.
Scoredtwiceover1m2f(good)and1m6f (Tapeta)forpreviousconnectionsandwas probablyatthelimitofherhandicapmark whenchanginghandsoverthewinter.Herbest effortthisseasoncameonMondayover1m4f whenthirdontheTapeta.Hasbeenbeaten twicebyFareedhatElIzzthistermandwas fourthtoAmiratAlZaman’sthirdinApril,so hardtoseeherreversingtheformwitheitherof thematlevelweights.
ArabianRacing DidYouKnow?
Globallythereare 7Group1PurebredArabian(PA) racesworth $1million ormore
The QatarInternationalStakes (Qatar GoodwoodFestival) Group1PA withaprize fundof £400,000,isthemostvaluableArabian racesover1milein Europe
SinceJanuary2021BHAlicensedthoroughbredtrainers mayalsotrainArabians
ExistingThoroughbredownersmayalsoownArabians throughsoleownership,partnerships,syndicatesandracing clubsandarealsoeligibleforROAmembership
AnArabians’Classicyearisasa 4yearold.The UAE PresidentCup(UKArabianDerby) (StLegerRacing Festival) Group1PA hasaprizefundof £400,000 and isthemostvaluable 4yearoldonly racein Europe
AlNujaifiRacing
UKRunners2025
FareedhatElIzz (5yomIzzAlKhailxFareedha)
AmiraatAlZaman (5yomHilalAlZamanxHamiya)
Haseef (4yocAlMourtajezxGhazwa)
UAEPresidentCup-UKArabianDerby (intendedentry)
