Pedigree Focus - Abbes

UK Season Review - Pedigree Focus ABBES (FR)

2018 c TM Fred Texas x Raqiyah (Amer) HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani - SCEA Haras du Victot

Abbes stamped his authority in the UAE President Cup – UK Arabian Derby with an easy win from fellow French challenger, Arion.

By TM Fred Texas, he is a homebred colt for owner HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani, out of Raqiyah, who won a previous running of the UK stage of the UAE President Cup, when it was run in Ascot in 2010, also ridden by Peslier. Abbes has twice been runner-up in this company and over this classic distance. Last autumn he was second in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains by a neck to Hadi De Carrere and then in June this year, he didn’t have the clearest of runs in the Qatar Derby des Pur-Sang Arabes des 4 Ans at Chantilly where he was beaten three lengths by Hoggar De L’Ardus.

He has now secured his first Group 1 PA, to add to wins in the 2020 Qatar Coupe de France des Chevaux Arabes (Gr2PA) over a mile and the 2021 Sheikh Mansoor Festival sponsored Prix Dormane (Gr3PA) over 1900m, both run at La Teste De Buch.

He is one of the best sons of TM Fred Texas, joining Marid and Methgal as Group 1PA winners for their sire, who is now based in Qatar, on a very limited book of approved mares only. For that reason, it will be important to boost his stallion prospects with another top level win, which could come as soon as the Qatar Arabian World Cup, which is his next designated target.

His dam Raqiyah (by Amer) was also a five-time Group 1PA winner in the familiar burgundy and white colours. She won 15 times from 28 starts in France, Qatar and the UK, her top-level wins included the aforementioned UAE President Cup at Ascot, as well as the Doha Cup (Prix Manganate) at Deauville, the French running of the UAE President Cup at Saint-Cloud (twice, in 2020 and 2021), as well as the Qatar International Trophy in Doha.

Her first registered foal, Badda (by Seraphin Du Paon) won four races from 11 starts in Qatar, all at 1700m on the Dirt. Abbes is her second produce and clearly the best so far. Her latest runner to reach the track is Salwa, a three-year-old colt by Kalino, who is also in training with Thomas Fourcy. He was a close third on his debut in the Prix Tidjani (Gr3PA) over 1900m at La Teste in July, and only beaten a quarter of a length in the Priz Djourman in August, over the same course and distance. He is entered in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains at Saint-Cloud on October 1.

TM fred Texas (US)

Neef (FR)

Raqiyah’s dam Sarahmina, by Tornado De Syrah, won the Prix Mandragore over 1525m at Montauban in 2002, before being placed in a handicap in Doha. Raqiya was her second foal, the first Tameemah (by Amer), was also a prolific winner in Qatar, with nine victories, from 1400m to 1850, though not at such a high level. She did place third on two occasions in Group 1PA races, in the 2009 Hatta International at Newbury, and later that year in the Qatar French Arabian Breeders Challenge (Pouliches 4 Ans), both over 2000m. Of her three foals to race, none have won to date, though they include the four-year-old Al Tammtam, who is also by TM Fred Texas, and in training with Fourcy. Sarahmina’s seven subsequent matings, have all been with sons of Amer. Farqooq (colt by Nizam) has won the Gulf Cup in Doha, as well as the Qatar Derby for local breds. Neef (colt by General) won twice in France, including the Prix Cheri Bibi (Gr3PA) over 1900m, he was sold in the horses in training segment in the 2019 Arqana PA sale for €45,000. In 2017 Sarahmina had three embryo transfer foals, the best of which was Muqla (filly by Tabarak), a dual winner in Qatar over 1600m. Her latest produce, the four-yearold filly Al Garbiyah (by Nizam), has raced once this season and is with Thomas Fourcy.

Sarahmina is a half-sister to the Group 2PA winner, Prince Amin (by Darike), from the family of the dual Group 1PA winner Prince D’Orient. Her fourth dam Bergeronnette is the dam of Ballade Folle, dam of Dormah De Brugere and Dormadora, who have produced the respective Group 1PA winners Mahess Du Soleil and Dahor De Brugere.

Below: Mahess Du Soleil (GB) and Richie Mullen go to post for the UK Derby Right: Dahor De Brugere