Winning HorsesThe Iraqi Connection

Story by Pamela Burton with Val Bunting

Dr. Mohammad Al Nujaifi is an Iraqi businessman and historian of Arab Islamic and Middle East history with a Doctorate in Agriculture from Oxford University. He is also a passionate breeder of Arabian horses. His love of the original Arabian Iraqi horse and his zeal to preserve their heritage has led him on the journey to nurture and continue this ancient breed. His reward has been success with his dynamic breeding in the Arabian racing world.

The British brought their love of horse racing to Iraq in the early 1900s, building four race courses which began racing in 1920. Today, formal racing continues only at the Baghdad Equestrian Club at distances up to 1½ miles in the season running from September to July.

Dr. Al Nujaifi continued his family’s breeding of ancient Arabian horse strains in Iraq, but with the political upheaval, he moved many of his top horses to Europe. There, they benefited from the green grass, open pastures and availability to more racing exposure. Breeders premiums in the French races that almost doubled the prize money were an added incentive.

Val Bunting has been associated with Dr Nujaifi for more than 28 years and has expanded the Iraqi breeding lines with the use of French blood. She has also purchased many good French horses that were exported for Dr Nujaifi’s breeding program in Iraq. Bunting is in charge of the breeding and racing operations in Europe and in charge of marketing the horses and promoting the stallions. Now in her third generation of breeding the Nujaifi horses in France,

Bunting manages breeding and racing decisions, and her long experience is invaluable working in consultation with Dr Nujaifi, his trainers and his son Zaid. At the 2008 Darley Awards in Hollywood, Bunting was awarded the coveted, Lifetime Achievement Award.

Al Nujaifi Racing Success

The senior broodmare in the Al Nujaifi breeding program is HAMIYA 2004 (Al Hasim x Al Qatar). Bred and raced in Iraq, Hamiya quickly proved herself adept at the track, winning Gr 1 and numerous other races. She brings the strength of Manganate through her sire, Al Hasim, by Saut Du Loup (Manganate).

Hamiya’s winning progeny includes Gr 1 Black Type winning daughters

Al Shamoos and Muneera.

AL SHAMOOS 2014 by (No Risk

Al Maury x Hamiya by Al Hasim). Raced in France and the UAE from 2017-2019.

In 2018, trained in France by

Charles Gourdain for Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayd

Al Nahyan, Al Shamoos won and placed in eight group races with three Gr 1 wins. These included the Qatar Trophy des Juments at Paris Longchamp, the Qatar Cup Prix Dragon at Paris Longchamp, and then the AED 5,000,000 (approx $1.36 Million) Gr 1 Jewel Crown in Abu Dhabi. Dr Nujaifi was awarded the France Galop Arabian Breeders award that year. Al Shamoos is now retired to the breeding barn and has produced two foals.

MUNEERA 2013 by (Dormane x Hamiya) She raced in France and Spain from 2016-2018 where she won and placed in seven group races including winning the prestigious Gr 1 Trophy des Juments (4-years-old) at Chantilly. At the 2018 Darley Awards in Hollywood, she won the International Champion Four-Year-Old Filly. She is now retired to the breeding barn and has produced three foals.

AMIR AL ZAMAN, the 2016 son of Hamiya by Hilal Al Zaman, now a young stallion, unfortunately was injured early in his career after winning one race. His ability was without doubt, and he is a big, correct and very good-looking horse. He is standing at stud in Rome, Italy. His first foals are due in 2023.

“We are looking forward to the next generation from our Black Type mares GHURAT AL ZAMAN, AL SHAMOOS and MUNEERA, producing equally excellent racehorses for the future,” said Bunting.

In 2007, GHARRA’A by Matador was the champion in waiting. Bred in Iraq, Gharra’a is by the Russian Derby winner Matador by the incomparable Drug, celebrated for his versatility at top-level shows as well as the racetrack. Gharra’s dam was the important Iraqi-bred Wadha Al Thania of the Seglawieh Jedranieh strain.

Winner in 2013 of two Gr 2 races in Istanbul, Turkey and La Teste de Buch, France, she placed multiple time in Gr 1 races. Gharraa is now a broodmare of distinction within the breeding program, having already produced two Group winners. In 2013, the Iraqi Horse Organization awarded her the WAHO Trophy.

Gharra’a progeny includes the handsome bay 2019 AL GHADEER, by Al Mourtajez, by Dahess. He is the winner of three 2022 Gr 1 races in Deauville, Saint Cloud, and the 2000m €100,000 Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains Derby in Qatar. He was awarded the 2022 France Galop International Champion Three-Year-Old and should prove an excellent stallion for breeding black-type progeny.

Born in 2017, GHURAT AL ZAMAN is a chestnut mare out of Gharra’a by Hilal Al Zaman. She raced in Italy and France, winning Gr 2 and Gr 3 races with three places in Gr 1. She was retired to the breeding barn in 2023.

“We are looking forward to the next generation from our black-type mares GHURAT AL ZAMAN, AL SHAMOOS and MUNEERA, producing equally excellent racehorses for the future,” said Bunting.

A lovely prospect to watch, NADIR AL ZAMAN 2021 (Hilal Al Zaman x Gharraa), is a well-built chestnut and a very interesting colt for the future. He is full brother to the mare Ghurat Al Zaman, and very importantly, half-brother to the Champion Three-Year-Old Al Ghadeer.

This brings us to HILAL AL ZAMAN 2005 (Mencour x

Amal Althania, by Zad Al Rakib). This striking chestnut stallion is of the Seglawieh Jedranieh strain. He was bred in Iraq and is by the imported stallion Mencour out of Amal Althania, a mare of 50% old Iraqi bloodlines and 50% British lines having two crosses to the imported stallion Valiant Gold. Mencour is maternal half-brother to Dormane. Hilal Al Zaman raced for six years and then retired 100% sound in 2011.

In Iraq, he won the Iraq Derby as a 3- and a 4-year-old with a win total of 12 races and 3 seconds out of 15 starts. *Race Record Europe and Iraq: 5/34 (17-12-2-1)7. Total prize money: 240,000€ *Arabian Jockey Club in, and he rapidly improved. Now at five years of age, he is over 16H (157cm) and has a winning personality and a focus to be first in the line of running horses.

That same year, the Iraqi Horse Organization awarded him the 2009 WAHO Trophy. In France, he won five races, including the Gr 1 Malzagirt Trophy in Istanbul, then the Gr 1 Zabeel Stakes in Newbury, UK. His race record is 20(5-8-3). His proven progeny represent black-type winners.

FORGEHILL CHICO 2016 is out of Change of Scent by Baroud III out of the Wiking daughter, Reconsider. An athletic looking bay, he raced in Italy where he won in 2020 in Rome and Florence. He was a multi Gr 1 winner in Libya. (Pictured right in Florence in the Emirates Breeders Race. Photo credit Racetract)

GHURAT AL ZAMAN

2017, out of Gharraa, also began her career in 2021. Trained by Endo Botti in Italy, she quickly won a Gr 3 2000m race in Rome and group-placed in Pisa, before moving on to France. In 2022, with trainer Damien Watrigant, she won the May, Gr 3 Prix Damas at Bordeaux Le Bouscat, then three weeks later won the 2000m Gr 2 Qatar Prix de l’Elvage at Toulouse.

GHAZI AL ZAMAN 2018, out of Ghazwa. This bay colt was started in Italy with Endo Botti where he won two races. In France, he is in his second year of racing. He is trained by Damien Watrigant with a win at Tarbes and Group-placed at Toulouse.

DURAT AL ZAMAN 2015, out of Gharraa. A lovely grey, this full sister to Ghurat Al Zaman has won and placed, including a fourth place in the Trophy des Juments Gr 1 at Paris Longchamp. She is now a broodmare with her first foal due in 2023.

HIAB AL ZAMAN raced in the USA from 2021-2022. In just two seasons of racing, he won 6 out of 10 races, including the Gr 1 $100,000 UAE President Cup at Pimlico Race Track. He then placed in a Texas Gr 3 then won the Gr 3 Arabian Stallion Stakes.

In 2022, Hiab was awarded the USA Darley Award FourYear-Old Champion Colt and also the USA Darley Horse of the Year for the 2021 season. He is nominated for the Darley Award for 2022 Darley Older Horse. He was exported to the UAE in 2022.

This miracle colt almost died a few hours after he was born as he had fallen down, perhaps hitting a wall, and suffered severe injuries. Luckily breeders, DVM James Meyer and Susan Meyer, were quickly there and hand nursed him for weeks on a 24 hour care schedule. His will to survive kicked

HILAL AL CHAM 2016, out of Ya Hala by Azadi. This colt is being trained by Thomas Fourcy for Al Shaqab Racing. *He has won and placed in two races in France in 2020, winning the Prix Douras Tu in Toulouse and then placing in the Prix Damas Gr 3 in Toulouse.

About Dr. Nujaifi

Dr. Al Nujaifi is now working on his second book, after publishing “The Purebred Arabian Horses of Iraq, Myths & Realities”. He is President of the Iraqi Arabian Horse Organization, Chairman of the Iraqi Registration & Studbook Committee and is on the Executive Committee for IFAHR. He is the WAHO representative/delegate for Iraq and attended the most recent WAHO Conference in Jordan in November 2022.