Future Stars - from The Arabian Racehorse and Equine Medirecord

Future Stars

Supporting UK Arabian racing whilst the Arabian Racing Organisation waited for the green light to commence has been The Arabian Racehorse and Equine MediRecord. Asking for submissions from ARO participants of youngstock, multiple race-winners and retired old favourites we look back on some of the unraced horses which will make up the domestic challengers in the years to come.

Sassy (GB)

SASSY 2018 f Assy x Spirited Game

Owner-breeder-trainer Steve Blackwell writes: "This is my filly by Assy out of Spirited Game at 23 months old. I'd like to say a big thank you to the generosity of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani and Al Shahania Stud for the free service in 2017." Spirited Game (GB) was bred by HH Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum and raced 18 times, ridden in all bar one of her races by Steve's son George. Winning once over a mile, she was also placed four times f rom 6f to 1m1f. Her victory at Royal Windsor when she rallied to win in a photo finish, earned George 'ARO Ride of the Season 2014'.

Spirited Game (by Vert Olive) is out of Keen Game and is a half-sister to Medhaaf Athbah (by Amer). A six time winner in France, Belgium, Saudi Arabia and the UK, Mehdaaf Athbah has been Group 1PA placed five times, including runner-up to two of the best Arabians of recent times, Al Mourtajez (Qatar Arabian World Cup 2016) and Muraaqib (President of the UAE Cup, Coup d'Europe, 2017). She is also a halfsister to Jazmah Athbah (by Jalnar Al Khalediah) winner of the Prix Nevadour (Gr3PA) and Group 1 PA placed.

Assy (QA) (by Amer x Margouia) was a winner of nine of his 11 races in Qatar, he became the first Qatari bred to win the HH The Amir Sword (Gr1PA) in 2014, and on retiring to stud, was offered free to breeders worldwide in his first season. Sassy is just one of many UK foals resulting from this hugely generous offer by Al Shahania Stud.

GALACTIC GIRL 2018 f Assy x Cosmic Girl

Another of those Assy foals resulting from Al Shahania's goodwill, is Galactic Girl bred by Selena Farnese, who says: "My Assy filly, Galactic Girl will run at four. But I must say she is very exciting, at only two she is extremely fast!!

"Cosmic Girl her dam, was my first Arabian racehorse which I bought as a three-yearold, backed myself and trained to win four races and be fifth in a PA Group 1."

Cosmic Girl is by Concord, who was a winner over a mile in Qatar. He is one of 15 foals out of Naiada Al Maury by Dormane, which include Kahayla Classic winner Nez D'Or, leading US s ire Norphe and broodmares such as Nisaee (dam of Mkeefa) and Nalika (dam of 2019 Arqana PA sale toper and recent winner, Nalink).

Cosmic Girl (GB) and her 2018 foal Galactic Girl (GB) by Assy (QA)

Cosmic Girl's dam, Northfield has produced five other winners in the UK. She was a granddaughter of Quitaine, dam of the Nefta who produced the sires Njewman and Nuits St Georges.

AKALA FIREFLY 2016 c Tidarbret x Cleopatrah

Owner-breeder Nicki Thorne says: "Firefly went to Phil Collington at the end of last year for backing and race training at his Newmarket yard. I can’t wait to see him to get to the racetrack despite the current delay to racing and given how awful the situation is w orldwide, he is a wonderful way to have hope for the future."

Cleopatrah was bred in America by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed and raced for Alan James Shapiro, trained by Lynn Ashby. She won four of her 39 starts, and was placed 15 times. Three of those starts were over 6f on Dirt, with her final win coming in the Rosebrook Arabian Distaff Turf Handicap over a mile and one sixteenth. She is by Calin De Louvre (by Djelfor) out of SRF Calera (by Corinto).

Tidarbret is by Bengali D'Albret (by C heri Bibi) out of Iktidar (by Djelfor) and was bred by Jim and Jo Kippen. He raced 32 times and also won four races, trained by Denis Batteate for Thorne. At his best over a mile, he was a twice a runner-up in Group 2 PA contests over 7f, 10f and a Group 3PA over 5f. Since retiring to stud he has sired Billy's Girl, a winner over 6f at Chelmsford City and Thorne's own Falcon Du Roc'h placed over a mile in his debut season in 2019.

Akala Firefly (GB) ridden by Phil Collington

Pharitz Al Jazi (GB) at Pharitz Arabians

PHARITZ AL JAZI 2018 f AF Albahar x Laila

Owner-breeder-trainer Beverley Deutrom hopes there are plenty of future stars at Pharitz Arabians, she writes: "This is my two-year-old filly, Pharitz Al Jazi, by AF Albahar (by Amer) out of Laila (by Tahar De Candelon)."

AF Albahar is the sire of Dubai Kahayla Classic winner AF Mathmoon, French Arabian Derby winner Al Saker and Jebel Ali Za'abeel International Stakes winner, Conchita DA. He is a full-brother to fivetime UAE Champion S ire AF Al Buraq. Laila was runner-up in a maiden over 2200m in Abu Dhabi and is already the dam of three winners, Karar (by Dahess), Shaama (by Nizam) and Pharitz Fahr (by Munjiz). Karar was the most successful of her progeny to date, winning three times from 1m2f to 2m all at premier handicap level, trained by Deutrom.

Karar's full brother, the five-year-old Pharitz Oubai is now in the UAE. He raced nine times this winter, placing five times for HE Sheikh Nasser Al-Hashar (who also o riginally raced the dam), trained by Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.

Ma'ase Bin Krayaan (GB) and Nathan Sweeney after exercise and pictured below as a foal at Pearl Island Arabians

MA'ASE BIN KRAYYAN 2015 g Krayaan Dilmun x Princess Proudd

Trained by Nikki Malcom who writes: "Pictured on a lovley spring day is Ma’ase Bin Krayaan. We're looking forward to a chance to race 'Maison' in a maiden soon."

Ma’ase Bin Krayaan is by the Bahraini stallion Krayaan Dilmun and is a halfbrother to dual winner Johara Bint Shuwaiman (by Shuwaiman Al Bahrain). Krayaan Dilmun (by Ma'angy Nadeem) was imported into the UK as a yearling having been bred by HH Sheikh The dam Princess Proudd was bred by Godolphin Racing in the USA and is a daughter of Virgule Al Maury out of Proudd Mary (by ZT Ali Baba). She won her only US start, a maiden over four and a half furlongs at Los Alamitos, trained by

Mohammed bin S ulman Alkalifa.

Felix Payne for the Darley Stable.

VIKKTOR 2017 c Marwan x Vivien

Owner-breeder Jill Irwin of Whitley Meadows Arabian Stud writes: "This is Vikktor our hope for 2021. He was born here at Whitley Meadows Arabians.

"In the summer of 2016 Vikktor's dam Vivien arrived from the Kossack Stud in the Netherlands, scanned in foal to Marwan. Vivien is out of the Russian mare,Vinetka (byKarnaval) and is a pleasure to own, fitting in very well here.

"Vivien was conceived at the Kossack Stud. When her dam Vinetka was not sold in t he Tersk/Holland sale, she was covered by Abitibi (Cheri-Bibi x Jaffa Du Berlais) a winner in UK and France, who was then at the Kossack Stud. I liked the breeding as Jaffa Du Berlais has produced nine winners and although predominantly French bred, she has Polish in her pedigree too, through Baj her sire, who was also successful in endurance. [Jaffa Du Berlais is out of Nefta and therefore a granddaughter of Quitaine who also appears in Galaxy Girl's pedigree].

"Vinetka was t hen sent back to the Tersk Stud in Russia and it was there that Vivien was foaled. Vivien raced a few times at Pyatigorsk and was third in a Group 3PA. Vivien produced foals regularly over the next few years until she was bought back by the Kossack stud in 2012. At Tersk she produced Group 2PA and Group 3PA winners, Vereika (2009) (by Kamelot) and Venilia (2008). Venilia is by Newmarket who is also a son of Marwan."

Vikktor (GB) at Whitley Meadows Arabians

Sattam (FR) at Green Ridge Stables

SATTAM 2016 g General x Al Basheq

On the back of a successful 2019 campaign for the James Owen Racing Club, three-time ARO champion trainer James Owen headed to France for the Arqana Purebred Arabian Sale last October.

Owen purchased two colts at the sale, one of which, an unraced three-year-old called Sattam is now the latest recruit to his Racing Club. Sattam is by dual Qatar Arabian World Cup winner General (by Amer) out of Al Basheq (by Dormane) and is from the family of Group 1 PA w inners, Al Sakbe (by Kesberoy), Al Moutawakel (by Dormane) and Al Mouwaffak (by Azadi). Owen reports: "Sattam was with Thomas Fourcy last year and he told us that in training he was a bit slow. That is fine as he has some of the best Arabians in the world, so for the type of competition we will be aiming him at in the UK, that is less of a consideration. I also thought at the time he looked a bit weak.

"He’s not a stallion prospect so we gelded him straight away and turned him out, which has d one him the world of good. He is still very laid back, but he doesn’t have any issues and he has a lovely stride. He is not going to be a horse to run for a year, we would expect two or three seasons from him for the Racing Club, so for the "3,000 we paid for him, he should

be good value."