Winter Issue 2021
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HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum 1945- 2021
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Dubai International Arabian Races Preview Edition
Dubai Kahayla Classic HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Darley Awards
Aghsaan wins ARO Cup
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DIAR UK Season Underway Jewel Crown Turner Triumphs at Taunton HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival Special
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ARO - New Season
Breeding Special
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Stud Focus Part 2
New Stallions, Du Soleil Stud
1945- 2021
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RACEHORSE Winter Issue - 2021 The Arabian Racehorse would like to thank everyone who has personally contributed to this special edition to commemorate HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in particular the Arabian Racing Organisation and Shadwell Stud for helping to source many of the photographs of the early years and for the provision of race statistics. Owing to the scope of HH Sheikh Hamdan's generous and extensive contribution to the sport and the short time span available to publish this edition, it is in no way an exclusive representation of those who wish to express their gratitude.. 4
HH Sheikh Hamdan - an Editor's note
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Tribute from the Arabian Racing Organisation
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Dubai International Arabian Races
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Winning in the 'Blue & White'
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The Golden Era
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Creating Champions
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Champion of the Grassroots
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UAE Champions
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Global Group 1 PA Success
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The Final Furlong
Front cover: HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum at DIAR, Newbury, 2019
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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 www.equinecreativemedia.smugmug.com THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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HH SHEIKH HAMDAN an Editor's note This special edition of The Arabian Racehorse is dedicated to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The planned content for the Winter edition, featuring Shadwell Arabians and his champion sire No Risk Al Maury, will be published in two weeks time. The Arabian Racehorse magazine owes its’ existence to His Highness on many levels. His values chimed with many in racing and on reflection, it is not hard to follow the trail backwards, to understand the level of my own personal involvement today. Though I never had a pony as a child, I spent every holiday with my grandparents who were avid followers of racing. They lived in a house belonging to my grandmother’s cousin, and he had bred and owned a very successful hunter chaser (jump races for amateurs) in the 1960’s. So successful, a book was written about him and he was paraded at the Horse of the Year Show. That was the first horse I met, long after he was retired, and I was smitten, both with horses, and with racing. I also learnt how amateur sport and small owner-breeders still had a place in the sport of kings. My early understanding of horseracing had come from the Black Stallion books which I had read avidly as a child, though of course they had an American slant. Having concentrated on thoroughbreds, I had briefly worked for the Brunton’s at Clarendon Stud in 1995, following their move from Wargrave, whilst I waited to start a two-year diploma in thoroughbred equine and business studies. They stood several stallions, one of which was Silkhan, a very amiable grey who had been trained by Gill Duffield for His Highness. Having worked with thoroughbred stallions, it was quite a surprise to lead him around in just a head collar.
HH Sheikh Hamdan takes note of the runners in the first at DIAR 2019 I never attended any Arabian races, that came much later, when, in 2011, I was staying in Newmarket and was given badges for the three-day July Festival. There I watched No Risk Al Maury and Richard Hills win their last race together, the Abu Dhabi Harwood International Arabian Racing Stakes, a Group 2 PA over a mile. At that point it was something of a novelty, though nice to finally see Arabians race, yet less than six months later, I found myself applying to work for the Arabian Racing Organisation, as a part-time office assistant to start in January. As well as typing up the racing calendar and updating records, I had been tasked with writing about jockeys for the ARO column in the Arabian Magazine. My first interview was with the newly retired Richard Hills, along with multiple ARO champion Simon Walker, and Harry Haynes who had recently taken out his conditional license after riding as amateur. When, after my three-month trial had finished, I learned that there would be no full-time position, I was disappointed.
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However, ARO racing manager, Toni Newman informed me that I could be retained as a freelance writer and be paid for whatever I could get published. I had previously written form comments and summaries for At The Races, the UK satellite TV channel, now known as Sky Sports Racing, so it was the writing I had enjoyed most anyway. I also took note of her parting comment: “Sheikh Hamdan sponsors a writing competition about Dubai Day, you never know, with your inside knowledge from working here, you might win it!”
one of the country’s most prestigious for equine art, which earned me (and His Highness) a mention in the Racing Post’s review.
Having written ARO race reports for the Annual Review, and several further pieces for the Arabian Magazine, that September I experienced my first ‘Dubai Day’ (it rained of course). The winners had a distinctly international appeal, with connections from France, Iraq and Qatar, as well as the UK and UAE, so that became the focus. Written, as so many commissioned pieces often are, to a very tight deadline, after filing my copy, I forwarded my article to the selection panel, and hoped for the best. To say I won and ‘the rest is history’ would not quite be enough. Alongside my Arabian racing commitments, I had been developing my career as a sculptor, and was working part-time as the Honorary Secretary and later the Chairwoman of the Society of Equestrian Artists. Money was tight and the first thing I bought once the hugely generous cheque of £7,500 had been cashed was logs for the fire. It also paid for a large bronze bust of a horse 'Power' to be cast (see page 6). I had made it on spec for a client, but they didn’t like it, so I had funded moulding it myself, in the hope that one day I could save up to get it cast. By this time, I had moved to Newmarket to work as racing secretary and PA to Sir Mark Prescott, Bt. The following summer ‘Power’ was exhibited in the Osborne Studio Gallery in London,
Despite having a full-time job for a leading thoroughbred trainer, I couldn’t give the Arabians up. I was still attending all the races I could, and still writing and taking photos of them. This led to an approach by Shadwell Arabians to photograph their stallions, who had been in the UK for collection, before returning to France. I had a very long lunch hour, from 12.45 to 3.30, so I met the legendary Madjani, Al Saoudi, Monsieur Al Maury and Al Jakbar, took their conformation photos and, like Silkhan all those years ago, was impressed with their temperaments. The following year I got to meet No Risk Al Maury for his own personal photo shoot, and though the windiest day imaginable, he was professional throughout.
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'Power' - Bronze - Edition of 9
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By the end of 2014, I knew that a regular 9 to 5 (or in this case 7.30am to 6pm) life of a racing secretary was not for me, and I wanted the freedom to be freelance again. I moved to a very small thoroughbred stud in Oxfordshire and re-joined ARO as their PR and Media Officer. I was also struck that there was very little media coverage in the UK for Arabian racing and was aware of the possibilities of digital publishing through another client, International Thoroughbred magazine, for whom I was now covering Dubai Day on an annual basis. It was International Thoroughbred who published my second winning article, 'Arabian Knights' [see below] this time highlighting Shadwell Stud’s links to Arabian racing and their connections to the sport in France to a thoroughbred audience. Using some of the money left over from the original Dubai Day prize, I published the first edition of this magazine on April 22, 2015. My greatest supporter then, as
Receiving the DIAR journalist award from Abdullah Al-Ansari and Merza Al Sayegh
now, had been His Highness, through Shadwell Arabians. Many advertisers have come and gone, but Shadwell Arabians have been consistent right from the start. I established the ‘Shadwell Super 7’ based loosely on the ‘Ten to Follow’ tipping competitions, which ran for three years. Horses gained points throughout the ARO season and the person’s team with the most points won a variety of Shadwell Arabian merchandise, all generously donated by His Highness.
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When the magazine began, several people expected that once the ARO season had finished, I’d not put out another edition until the new season the following year. It had always been my intention to cover the sport all year round and so when AF Mathmoon won the last of His Highness’s eight Dubai Kahayla Classic’s in March 2016, I was there. I was also able to send back presentation pictures of the race to the Shadwell office, a great privilege. As Dubai Day, now rebranded as Dubai International Arabian Races (DIAR), expanded with the prep series into Europe, it was a pleasure to be asked to supply photos and reports of those races. Though an outbreak of strangles in the Netherlands prevented the races going ahead there in 2019, I have really enjoyed the experience of visiting Bro Park (Sweden), Capannelle (Rome) and of course, what is now my favourite French racecourse, La Teste de Buch.
Covid of course brought its challenges last year, but ARO managed to enable Arabian racing to go ahead, helped in no small part by the support of the large number of His Highness’s runners. Though there was no DIAR, I did get to meet with No Risk Al Maury again, to update his portfolio on his return to the UK in September. Professional as always, the conformation pictures were captured in minutes, leaving plenty of time for him to enjoy the polos I had brought him, before he was turned loose for the paddock shots. Most importantly of all, in December ARO announced jointly with the British Horseracing Authority, that Arabian racing was to be fully integrated, and that from 2021, thoroughbred trainers could train Arabians too. This was one of His Highness’s chief ambitions for the sport in the UK. We can only pray that he was well enough at the time to enjoy the knowledge that his goal had been achieved.
Photographing No Risk Al Maury for the Shadwell Arabian Stallions brochures in 2014 (left) and 2020 (right) © Marion Lachat THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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When I established this magazine seven years ago, I decided against including an editor’s comment, feeling that at that time I didn’t know enough about the sport. This special commemorative issue will be The Arabian Racehorse’s 41st edition, so I hope you will indulge me with this, my very personal tribute to how His Highness has shaped my life and career opportunities, as he has done, both directly and indirectly for so many others in the sport. I owe him a considerable debt of thanks and I hope that by photographing and writing about the Arabian racehorse that he loved so much, it will go some way towards repaying that debt. #RIPSheikhHamdan Debbie Burt The Arabian Racehorse
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum March 24, 2021 It is with great sadness that Shadwell announces the death of His Highness, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He died peacefully on Wednesday 24th March 2021. It is a time to reflect on his achievements and his enormous contribution to the global Thoroughbred and Arabian industries. His legacy will live on through his horses. Everyone at Shadwell is so proud to have worked for such a loyal, generous, humble and wise man.
HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum with Al Sakbe (FR) after winning at Newmarket in 1999 [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians]
Shadwell Stud Team
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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 extremely grateful for HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's patronage since the organistation was established in 1999. His enthusiasm for the Arabian racehorse was instrumental in developing and maintaining UK Arabian racing.
ARO is the sole Arabian racing authority in the UK, operating under the rules and regulations of the British Horseracing Authority. Racing with ARO allows owners and breeders to participate at all levels, proving their bloodlines through competition, from the spring through to autumn.
I Aa N i Rl A T e l : 0 1 6 3 5 5 2 4 T4H4E 5A R AEB m : CiEnHfOoR@S Ea r o r a c i n g . c o . u k
www.aroracing.co.uk
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HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Tribute from the Arabian Racing Organisation
The Phil Collington trained Jamaayil (GB) with Dane O'Neill, Helen Smith and HH Sheikh Hamdan after winning the Emirates premier Handicap at DIAR 2016. Jamaayil went on to be fourth in the UK Arabian Derby and then win the French Arabian Breeder's Challenge Sprint (Gr2PA) in Toulouse. It is with great sadness that the Arabian Racing Organisation learnt of the passing of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance and Industry. His global success breeding and racing thoroughbreds is widely acknowledged, but His Highness was also a great champion of Arabian racing worldwide and in the UK in particular. His Highness was born on December 25, 1945 and was the second son of the late ruler Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al
Maktoum. Initially educated at the AlAhlia school in Dubai, he completed his further studies at the Bell School of Languages in Cambridge. This was when his passion for horseracing was ignited following visits to Newmarket races. His first thoroughbred winner, Mushref, was in 1980 at Redcar. Four years later he purchased the 6,000 acre Shadwell Estate, in Thetford, Norfolk, from which many of his considerable owning and breeding achievements on the racecourse with both thoroughbreds and Arabians have emanated.
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12 At that time Arabian racing was just starting to develop in the UK and the sport was a natural fit for His Highness. Initially having a few horses in training with Jill Scrase, it was through his later association with Gill Duffield that he achieved his greatest Arabian racing successes. Duffield began with four horses for His Highness in 1987. Their first Arabian winner was Kerim Bey who won at Aintree, followed by the prolific winning mare, Silvena, who won 14 races. However, his sights were set much higher with the feature race at the prestigious Arabian meeting at Kempton Park, the Dubai Stakes, as the goal. Bengali D’Albret was purchased from France with that race in mind and under Duffield’s care, he became the first horse to win the race twice, in 1993 and 1994. ‘Dubai Day’ as it was then known had been established in 1984 by the Arab Horse Society (of which he is also patron) thanks to Mrs Joan
Ratcliff and the generosity of His Highness. The fixture had moved from Kempton Park to Newbury in 1997 and when in 1999 the Arabian Racing Organisation was formed, His Highness became the patron of the organisation, and of that event. Later it was rebranded as the Dubai International Arabian Races (DIAR), Arabian racing’s flagship meeting. It was the only full card of Arabian racing in Europe to feature four Group PA races alongside a range of competitive handicaps, including ones tailored for the sports’ grassroots. In total, His Highness’s distinctive blue and white silks have won 54 races at the DIAR meeting since 1988, winning the Group 1PA Shadwell Dubai International Stakes no less than 13 times. Many of these winners have gone on to great success in the winter season in Dubai, where the feature race of the season is the Dubai Kahayla Classic, run as part of the Dubai World Cup.
Muraaqib (FR) and Francois Xavier Bertras win the 2016 Shadwell Dubai International Stakes (Gr1PA) THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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No Risk Al Maury (FR) and Richard Hills win Round1 of the Al Maktoum Challenge at the newly opened Meydan on January 28, 2010 © ERA His Highness finished third in the inaugural running with Chndaka, winning the first of his eight Kahayla Classic’s with Nivour De Cardonne, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin in 2000. Bopp Moon started a remarkable winning streak for His Highness in 2003, as he was followed by Kaolino and Madjani, the only horse to win three consecutive Kahayla Classics, from 2005 to 2007. Then came the No Risk Al Maury years, though placed twice in the Kahayla, he also added to His Highness’s Dubai International Stakes wins with victories in 2007 and 2008. He was also the first horse to win at the newly opened Meydan racecourse and the first horse to top the International Classification rankings on 128, when they were initiated in 2011. Duffield commented: “It’s such sad news. The end of an era. The quality of horses I
trained for him was exceptional, such as Kaolino, Madjani and No Risk Al Maury. This is confirmed by seeing so many winners now, out of those early horses bred by Sheikh Hamdan at Shadwell. It was an honour to have those wonderful colours on horses I trained and for someone who had such a passion for Arabian horses.” The best example of his breeding in recent times has been Muraaqib, trained in France by Francois Rohaut. By Munjiz, out of Tashreefat, a daughter of Bengali D’Albret and a mare Duffield trained to win three times over sprint distances. Muraaqib won seven Group 1PA races, including the Dubai International Stakes, the Qatar International Stakes (the UK’s most valuable race for Arabians) and the Jewel Crown (at the time, the world’s most valuable race for Arabians).
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His Highness’s Shadwell Arabians Stallions operation has also been influential, with both Madjani and No Risk Al Maury recent champion sires in the UK and siring top level performers around the world. For 2021 of his stallions are in the UK including Manark, who won the Kahayla Classic in 2015, and AF Al Buraq, threetime UAE leading sire and brother to AF Albahar, sire of His Highness’s last Kahayla winner AF Mathmoon in 2016.
commented: “It’s been an absolute privilege to train for such a great man, he’s been a massive influence on Arabian racing, and will be sorely missed by everyone in the sport.
His Highness’s own record in Arabian racing and that of his trainers has also been exemplary. Heading the ARO owner championship 19 times, 17 of which have been in succession, his horses have given his trainers their titles too, with Duffield winning 12 ARO trainers championships and those of her successors, James Owen and Phil Collington, standing at 4 – 1.
His Highness has been famously loyal to his professional jockeys, Willie Carson was followed by Richard Hills, who has continued to maintain the partnership since retiring becoming his racing advisor. Paul Hannagan then held the position for five years, whilst His Highness is currently represented by Jim Crowley. However, the likes of Ted Durcan, Dane O’Neill, Martin Dwyer and Tadhg O’Shea have also regularly appeared on his Arabians in the UK and abroad.
Last years’ ARO champion trainer Owen, who currently has around 20 of His Highness’s Arabians in training
“His Highness gave me many firsts. My first winner Bon Baiser De Faust, my first DIAR winner, Al Azeeza, and my first Group winner in Awzaan. My thoughts are with his family at this time.”
Richard Hills wirth Timmy Murphy in the paddock at Newbury after Anfaas (GB) won the DIAR Juvenile Prep in 2017 THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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Trainer James Owen with Bon Baiser De Faust (FR) his first Arabian winner, ridden by Phil Collington at Wolverhampton in 2015 He has also generously supported amateur jockeys, retaining Phil Collington during the Duffield years and many a young amateur has been thrilled to don the famous blue and white silks before turning professional, most recently promising apprentice Laura Pearson and conditional Max Kendrick. Collington said: “It’s been such an honour to work with His Highness and his horses, you couldn’t ask for a better employer. It was fantastic to ride an Arabian Group 2 winner for him and to have trained Group winners at all three levels for him, both here and abroad. “I rode No Risk Al Maury to win on his debut at Hereford in 2006 and I trained his last UK Arabian winner, Loolwa, at Wolverhampton in November. His contribution to my career and to Arabian racing has been huge, we will all miss him greatly.”
Munbaher (GB) and Max Kendrick winning a maiden at Chelmsford City
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16 Charles Gregson, ARO Chairman commented: “We are all deeply saddened by the news of His Highness’s passing and we send our sincere condolences to his family. We are very grateful for His Highness’s enthusiasm for the Arabian racehorse, which was instrumental in maintaining and developing the sport of Arabian racing in the UK. “The continued success of DIAR, both for the grassroots and the wider international Arabian racing community was a great testament to this. It was a concept that started at Kempton to encourage the best Arabians to compete at the top level and that vision to this day has certainly not changed. Speaking on behalf of the ARO Board of Directors, it is one we are extremely proud to be associated with.” Gregson concluded: “When we announced, with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) last December that Arabian racing would be
fully integrated alongside the British thoroughbred racing industry, it was the most significant breakthrough for our sport since we started racing under the guidance of the BHA following our inception. This was always the vision for the sport for His Highness, and his support for that integration cannot be underestimated, through this he leaves Arabian racing a lasting legacy.” His Highness’s passion was clearly expressed in his aims in supporting ARO. “We want to see more participants in the sport from Britain. We want them to appreciate the beauty and strength of the Arabian horse. It is important to us that people are aware of the noble attributes of the Arabian horse and the thrill that competition in races can bring. We do not want it to be solely a sport for owners from the Middle East. We want everyone to recognise the magnificence of the Arabian horse.”
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2020 ARO Owners Trophy received on behalf of HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum by Marion Lachat, Arabian Nominations and Marketing Co-ordinator of Shadwell Arabians THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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ARO SEASONAL STATISTICS 2000-2020 HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum secured his nineteenth ARO owners championship, and his seventeenth in succession. In total, under ARO rules, His Highness has won 442 races, earning £1,521,501 in prizemoney. It is an exceptional record, with the ARO championships based on races won, not prize money. The only two years he was not champion, were in 2002, when he tied on 18 winners with HH Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, but had less placed horses, and in 2003 when he was third to Michael Brunton, with HH Sheikh Mohammed in second.
2018 was a stellar season for His Highness in the UK with 30 winners, the most since 2009. It also saw his homebred champion Muraaqib triumph in the Qatar International Stakes (Gr1PA), the UK's most valuable race, beating previous and subsequent winners Tayf and Ebraz. Muraaqib also played his part in another significant year, 2016, when he was one of four winners for His Highness at Dubai International Arabian Races, along with Jamaayil, Foaad and Radames.
Year
1st
2nd
3rd
Prize £
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
32 35 18 12 18 21 35 27 23 31 17 19 14 15 14 20 20 19 30 17 5
27 14 11 15 10 16 15 18 12 19 23 12 17 16 15 15 21 20 27 16 5
18 9 16 6 4 15 18 15 15 17 14 16 12 13 12 16 18 21 25 16 8
£38,461 £63,160 £39,600 £48,660 £35,743 £49,455 £58,596 £64,925 £56,782 £57,938 £36,878 £62,379 £53,420 £55,474 £108,481 £97,990 £144,864 £64,446 £259,813 £96,916 £27,520
___
___
___
________
442
344
304
£1,521,501
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Dubai International Arabian Races Top class Arabian racing for all the family
HH Sheikh Hamdan’s achievements with Arabian racehorses will be most associated in the minds of the public with ‘Dubai Day’ or Dubai International Arabian Races (DIAR) to give the fixture it’s full title. It is the longest established full fixture in the European pattern calendar solely for Purebred Arabian racing, the most valuable and the most respected. It is the only meeting of its’ kind championing both the top level and the grassroots of the sport, with a combination of Group races, supported by an international conditions race and a range of handicaps. Julian
Smart, private trainer to HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani and one of the meetings most successful trainers in its’ Group races, has described it as: “One of the best days Arabian racing in the world.” As well as top class racing, it encourged families to come along and enjoy the racing and learn a little of the heritage too. The local schools competitions to paint a life-size model horse were hugely popular and His Highness's patronage and generous donations to the winners and runners-up were very welcome.
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The first Dubai Day was held on July 21, 1984 just outside London at Kempton Park, with the prize money totalling £25,000. The feature race, the Dubai Stakes worth £4,000 to the winner, was won by Wishtrend Ltd’s Valina, ridden and trained by John Elliott. In 1997, the fixture moved to its’ current home of Newbury racecourse in Berkshire. The feature race, renamed the Dubai International Stakes, a Group 1PA over 2000m, had become an international contest in its’ second year and during the period of 1989 to 1993, was run over 2400m. Since 2016, with the addition of the DIAR prep race series across Europe, the meeting has gained an even wider international audience, all part of the original vision of its’ patron, HH Sheikh
Hamdan Al Maktoum. Arabian Racing Organisation Commercial and Finance Director Genny Haynes explained: “DIAR always has and always will be, an event of outstanding achievement for HH Sheikh Hamdan, the DIAR Committee, Shadwell Arabians, ARO and all concerned since its’ inception. The goal was to encourage the best Arabians to compete at the top level and that has not changed for over 30 years. It has continually improved, with the quality of Arabians, the competitive nature of participants and the high standard of delivery of the event. This raceday is recognised worldwide as the ‘pinnacle’ of Arabian racing and we are all extremely proud to be associated with it.”
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The format of the days’ racing has evolved over the years, the following race overview highlighting His Highness's notable winners is in line with DIAR 2019 format. The opening handicap is run over a mile for horses rated from 50 to 90 and was first run in 2006. It is also the race where HH Sheikh Hamdan traditionally comes to the paddock and greets his jockeys. His Highness has won it nine times, most recently in 2019 with Al Azeeza ridden by Jim Crowley, trained by James Owen. He owned the first three home on that occasion, a feat he bettered in 2018, when he had the 1-2-3-4. Phil Collington also has a remarkable record in the race, having won it as a jockey in 2006, 2012 and 2013, and has
since won it as a trainer in 2016, 2017 and 2018. The race is often won by an unexposed improver, who is capable of progressing to Group level such as Jamaayil (French Arabian Breeders Challenge Sprint (Gr2PA)) and Aghsaan (ARO Cup (Gr3PA)). Race two is an international conditions event held over a mile and two furlongs and has been won by His Highness in 2011, 2016 and 2018. First run in 2010, again young improvers tend to dominate, with seven of the winners aged four years. However, the best horse to win was the six-year-old Mu’azzaz in 2010 as he went on to win the Dubai International two years later.
DIAR 2019, Al Azeeza and Jim Crowley lead home a 1-2-3 on behalf of HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum in the Emirates Premier Handicap over a mile THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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The first of the four Group races follows, run over seven furlongs, currently known as theDIAR International Stakes, the Group 3PA contest is for three-year-olds only, though it was a Group 2PA until 2019.
Above & Below: DIAR 2012 - Manark wins under Paul Hannagan ©GJ Multimedia
First run in 2001, His Highness has won it eight times, most notably in 2012 with Manark who went on to win the Dubai Kahayla Classic in 2015. That race was one for the record book as no less than five other subsequent PA Group winners came out of it in Samima, Al Anga, Djebelia Al Mels, Al Atique and Djainka Des Forges. THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum with his Za'abeel International Stakes (GR1PA) winner Djeldor De Bozouls (FR) in 2003 [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians] The Jebel Ali Racecourse Za’abeel International Stakes (Gr1PA) is run over six furlongs and has attracted the world’s best Arabian sprinters over the years, such as Dahess and Al Mouhannad who have both won the race three times each. His Highness was been successful in 2003 with Djeldor De Bozouls, in 2008 with Quaolina and in 2016 with Radames, who was Collington’s first Group winner as a trainer. The Shadwell Arabian Stallions Hatta International Stakes (Gr1PA) held over a mile and a quarter is for fillies and mares only. It has produced some talented winners with Djainka Des Forges and Sylvine Al Maury both winning it twice. His Highness won in 1999 and 2002. Ziva who won in 2002, went on to produce two winners of the DIAR stayers race Elraawy and Azizi (both colts by his stallion Monsieur Al Maury) as well as the multiple Group 1 winner and sire, Handassa and his brother Taajer, by Madjani.
Ziva (FR) and Richard Hills win the Hatta International in 2002 [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians]
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No Risk Al Maury (FR) and Richard Hills win the first of two Dubai International Stakes (Gr1PA) in 2007 [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians] The pinnacle has always been the Shadwell Dubai International Stakes (Gr1PA), also over the classic Arabian trip of a mile and a quarter. HH Sheikh Hamdan has won the race no less than thirteen times and with some of his greatest horses. There have been four dual winners of the race, Bengali D’Abret, Al Sakbe, No Risk Al Maury and Gazwan. The race has also been won by numerous horses who have had a great influence on the breed once retired to stud. This list includes the mare Cherifa, who won the first international running in 1985 and can be found in the pedigrees of many winners around the world and also at DIAR. When crossed with another great
progenitor, the 1995 winner Dormane, they produced Djourdan, His Highness’s winner in 2003. His Highness has also had success with mares in the race. In 2000 he won the race with Sophie Du Loup, who on retiring to stud produced Aghsaan, a winner of DIAR’s opening premier handicap on only her third start in 2014. The following year Aghsaan won the inaugural ARO (Gr3PA) over the same course and distance. Bengali D’Albret, the first to win it in the blue and white, since retiring to stud has made a greater impact as a broodmare sire, and is the sire of Tashreefat, dam of His Highness’s last winner Muraaqib.
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Shadwell Dubai International Stakes (Gr1PA) 1m2f Winners for HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum 2016 Muraaqib
F Rohaut (FR)
FX Bertras
2014 Al Hibaab
Mrs G Duffield
T Durcan
2008 No Risk Al Maury
Mrs G Duffield
R Hills
2007 No Risk Al Maury
Mrs G Duffield
R Hills
2005 Aikido Vege
Miss K Van den Bos (NL)
FX Bertras
2004 Eau Royal
Mrs G Duffield
W Supple
2003 Djourdan
D de Watrigant (FR)
R Hills
2002 Jiyush
Mrs G Duffield
R Hills
2001 Al Sakbe
A Chaille-Chaille (FR)
R Hills
2000 Sophie Du Loup
Mrs G Duffield
W Supple
1997 Jehol De Cardonne
Mrs G Duffield
R Hills
1994 Bengali D’Albret
Mrs G Duffield
Mr S Walker
1993 Bengali D’Albret
Mrs G Duffield
Mr G Harrington
Al Hibaab (FR) and Ted Durcan win the 2014 Dubai International Stakes (Gr1PA). Al Hibaab is a son of his 2001 winner Al Sakbe (FR). THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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Thamaraat (GB) and Tadhg O'Shea win the 2019 Dubai Developments Premier Handicap (0-105) 1m4f Affectionately known as ‘the stayers’ the longest race on the card is a handicap for horses rated up to 105, run over a mile and a half. Prior to 2016 it was run over a furlong further for horses rated up to 115.
His most recent winner was Thamaraat in 2019, trained by Phil Collington. Her dam Aljawza had finished fourth to No Risk Al Maury in the same race in 2006, ridden by Collington.
His Highness has won 11 of the last 14, two of which, Sophie Du Loup (1999) and No Risk Al Maury (2006) also went on to win the Dubai International in the following year.
The meeting concludes with a sevenfurlong handicap for horses rated between 50 and 75. Primarily aimed at the sports grassroots, His Highness has won it once in 2006.
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Global Support
collected a bonus award.
In order to increase the international competition, the DIAR prep series was introduced in 2016. This offered a series of up to 17 races across France, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden with a prize money bonus available for any horse placed in the first three, that subsequently won at DIAR.
On receipt of the entries for DIAR 2019, Haynes commented: “It is clear from the increase in international entries that the appetite for top quality international Arabian racing remains strong across Europe.”
That year, Italy’s Urge Di Gallura went into the history books as the first winner of the bonus, when winning the Emirates Equestrian Federation International Stakes (Gr2PA). In addition, the three-year-oldcolt was the first Italian winner at DIAR, and a first black-type win for a young Italian jockey, Antonio Fresu. Since then, Lightning Bolt (Dubai International Stakes), Joudh (Hatta International Stakes), Al Chammy (Za’abeel International Stakes) and Bayan (Hatta International Stakes) have all
HH Sheikh Hamdan has had a long association with France. Many of his best racehorses were bought there and he has supported trainers Damien de Watrigant and Francois Rohaut for many years. His Highness’s best homebred of recent years, Muraaqib, was foaled under the SNC Shadwell France banner, and was later trained there by Rohaut. For some years he kept his French bred stallions at the Haras de Saint-Faust where they were readily accessible to French breeders. He also sponsored there, with ‘Shadwell Day’ at La Test de Buch being a popular addition to the DIAR Prep Series.
Richard Hills, HH Sheikh Hamdan and Damien de Watrigant in 2002 when Ziva (FR) won the Hatta International Stakes [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians] THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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Jim Crowley with Muraaqib (FR), Francois Rohaut and Richard Lancaster after winning the Qatar International Stakes (Gr1PA) at Goodwood
However, it is the developing Arabian racing nation of Italy with which Shadwell has had a notable impact. They had enabled their progress by supporting them for five years prior to Italy joining IFAHR in 2016. They then sponsored their first black-type race, the Premio Dubai International Arabian Races (LRPA) as part of Shadwell Day at Capannelle racecourse in Rome. They have also supported their breeding, giving nominations to Madjani, Eau Royal and Jiyush as prizes. In 2018, His Highness sent Taajer to stand at the Societa Agricola di Besnate, in the north of Italy. A full brother to Handassa, he had won twice in France over 2000m. Shadwell Arabians have also had a presence in the Americas. Chndaka, Nivour De Cardonne and Kaolino were all successful sires at Cre Run and Mandolynn Hill Farms in the USA and for several years they sponsored races in Chile.
Jadeeda (FR) and Roberto Carlos Montenegro led to post by Damien de Watrigant for the Premio Taajer in Rome
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Winning in the "Blue & White" HH Sheikh Hamdan’s famous loyalty extended to his jockeys, many of whom remain part of the organisation after their riding careers have ceased, such as Richard Hills and Phil Collington. It has also given many amateurs and professionals a great thrill to carry his colours some of whom share their thoughts from all levels here.
Al Saoudi (FR) and Richard Hills win the Al Sakbe Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (Gr1PA) at Nad Al Sheba in 2006 [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians]
Richard Hills As one of His Highness’s longest serving jockeys, since retiring Richard Hills has become his Racing Advisor, initially with the thoroughbreds and now with the Arabians too. Talking about their unique working relationship Hills says: “Obviously, I was in
a great position as his retained jockey, as it was his passion, both the thoroughbreds and Arabians, and I was lucky enough to ride them and carry it out. Thankfully, we had success and we formed a great friendship as well, because he was interested in all the everyday stuff, from going on exercise in the morning, all the way through.
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“He enjoyed the build-up - you sit on a horse, it’s working well, then it wins, then you step up to conditions race and on to black type and so on. He loved that, especially if he bred them as well, then it was even more important. I think he got more of a buzz out of that, than if I rang him up and said you’ve won by ten lengths and it’ a good horse. It was filling him up with everything else. Plus, he really liked to get involved in tactics which was great, as then when you’re riding a race, things happen quickly and you’ve got to adapt, but you knew there was a plan.” He laughs: “Plan A, B, C, sometimes, Z! But there was always a plan. He really enjoyed that side of it and he was pretty good at it as well. There were quite a lot of instructions with Madjani, which I don’t think Gill always agreed upon!
“When I won the HH Presidents Cup on Madjani, I literally jumped in the car afterwards and the phone was ringing, and I’d already had three missed calls from him. When I won the UAE Arabian Derby, and two rounds of the Arabian Triple Crown on a four-year-old, Tenor De Vialettes, it was the same, he was straight on the phone. They were all very important to him and he followed the races closely.” Madjani was just one of many exceptional Arabians of HH Sheikh Hamdan’s with which Hills has been closely involved, both in the UK and the UAE. “Bengali D’Albret was the first top-level Arabian that I rode” says Hills. “He was good, but he was a handful to ride at home.”
HH Sheikh Hamdan talks tactics with Richard Hills, Gill Duffield and Richard Lancaster at Dubai Day at Newbury [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians] THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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Bengalant (GB) and Richard Hills - winners of the 2004 First Gulf Bank National Day Goild Cup (Gr1PA) [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians] “Then came Madjani, who was late maturing and would sweat freely. I remember one night at Abu Dhabi he was hanging out, I was really just on one rein, and I looked behind and I was ten lengths clear. He was exceptional, but he was not entirely straightforward. He had a really long stride for an Arabian, I’d not really ridden many Arabians like that, and he was narrow behind, so to look at, he wouldn’t necessarily be your first pick. “However, it was amazing to win that third Kahayla Classic. The Dubai World Cup is such a big night and Madjani was a really important horse. He definitely helped my career. It didn’t matter whether it was an Arabian or a thoroughbred because it was so important to His Highness. “It’s the same with No Risk Al Maury, when he won Round 1 of the Al Maktoum Challenge, the opening race at the newly built Meydan racecourse, it was great. Gill and I weren’t particularly worried that he
wouldn’t act on the Tapeta. His best form was always on good, good to firm ground, so he was a proper turf horse, but he was equally good on the Dirt and he adapted well. It was great honour to win that night, because he was such a star and showed how versatile he is. That’s the great thing about him for breeders, I wish we had a thoroughbred stallion like him! “He was a cute guy, he always had his ears pricked. To ride, he was always up for it, he never had a bad day, he always put in his best and that quality is coming through in his progeny I think. What’s great about No Risk Al Maury, is he’s not a big horse, but he rode like a proper mini racehorse. He always travelled well and had a good turn of foot, he was simple to ride. Speed is king in both breeds, if they settle, then you can enhance them to go further, so if they’ve got speed and they can get a mile and a quarter or more, then that’s the ultimate."
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“No Risk Al Maury was the ultimate Arabian to ride, I’m so proud that he’s so sought after as a stallion, he was a real dude. It gives me a kick and it really gave Sheikh Hamdan a kick too.
“Dubai Day was great, it was really His Highness’s day. It was the time of year when his family was on holiday, they’d turn up, and all Sheikh Hamdan’s friends too, it really promoted the Arabian racing.”
“Looking back at all the winners, he and Madjani are the stand outs amongst the horses I rode for Sheikh Hamdan, though if they won, I was always fond them! They were the stars, as they were the ones I rode the most. Of course, in Dubai I rode them regularly, but in the UK it was only on the big days.”
Speaking of his current role as Racing Advisor Hills explains: “Obviously I work closely with Jim [Crowley] and Dane [O’Neill]. It helps massively having been a jockey yourself for reporting back – I wish I’d had a ‘me’ when I was riding! They’re great, they’re both great mates, I feel that you have to be a team, everybody has their opinion and the more input you have and people that you trust, the better the results. "
Hills is also the most successful jockey in Dubai International Arabian Races feature race, the Dubai International Stakes with six winners. Of that experience he says:
No Risk Al Maury (FR) and Richard Hills win the Abu Dhabi Harwood International Stakes (Gr2PA) at Newmarket in 2011 THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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Madjani (FR) and Richard Hills win the 2006 Dubai Kahayla Classic [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians]
“I think Shadwell is a family and Sheikh Hamdan liked that. He was so loyal, people are there that have been there for years. I’ve been there since I was seventeen, working for him and all the trainers he’s supported throughout. He liked that family feeling and he knew that people worked together and trusted each other, and that’s the key to success. "His son Sheikh Rashid has had success with Bel'izam and his daughter Sheikha Hissa’s very keen, because he was so passionate about it, it was everything to him and he’s passed that on to them. It was great to see Haqeeqy win the Lincoln, at obviously a very poignant time.” Hills gave a very touching example of that family concern saying: “There was one day I chose to ride for him at Doncaster, when
we had four runners at Newmarket, where every horse won, so I had clearly picked the wrong horses and felt awful. The next day I was riding at Kempton in the early days of the Arabian races, and I when arrived, he put his arm around me and said, 'yesterday was yesterday, today’s today'. I went out to ride, and they all won. He had picked me up from the ground, to back to where I should be. He wasn’t even prompted to say anything, he knew how I was feeling, that was the type of man he was.” Asked what he hoped His Highness’s legacy might be Hills concludes: “If we can continue, and continue to breed thoroughbred Classic winners and Arabian champions, then that’s his legacy, particularly if we can win the Kahayla Classic with one that we’ve bred.”
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Phil Collington Phil Collington was ARO champion jockey five times and was His Highness’s retained amateur jockey. HH Sheikh Hamdan has had a profound effect on his career, which got off to the perfect start as he explains: “In 2003 I had my very first ride in Sheikh Hamdan’s colours, a maiden called Abusamra, at Lingfield for Gill Duffield. He won. My next ride, on the same card was Dambak Du Monteil and he won too, so my first two rides in his colours were winners. I had four more rides for him that season, and three of them won, and the other was second. “At the time I was still retained by the Bruntons. They were fantastic to ride for and very supportive. When the season ended, that winter I went to Dubai with
Gill. I was riding Kaolino, before he won the Kahayla and other top horses like Jiyush and Eau Royal in the mornings. When I came back to the UK in 2014, I was invited to ride for His Highness as an amateur and since then the relationship has continued to develop, right through to training for him now. “The horses that we had at that time and that I was lucky enough to ride, both in the mornings and on the track in the UK were phenomenal really. Dubai was such an experience. When Kaolino started winning at Jebel Ali, and progressing up the handicap, we never thought then he would be running in the Kahayla, let alone winning it. It was only when he won the Mazrat Al Ruwayyah, that he showed he was ready for the step up in class.
Phil Collington with Loolwa (GB), HH Sheikh Hamdan's last UK Arabian winner at Wolverhampton in November 2019 THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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Manark (FR) and Phil Collington at Hereford in 2015 “In Gill’s first year in Dubai, she was training solely for Sheikh Hamdan, but the second year there were other private owners like Khalid Al Nabooda. We had stacks of winners and horses running at every level. When Madjani arrived, he was just another class, he was so good on the dirt. “The story came full circle as my last ride in his colours and Gill’s as a trainer was when I won on Jabal Ali at Lingfield, where it all began for me.” Since Duffield retired from training and Collington retired from the saddle, he shares UK Arabian training duties for His Highness with fellow Newmarket trainer, James Owen. However, he does have fortunate the advantage of having ridden
the dams of many of the horses in his care, and some of their sires too. He comments: “Laqaatat, Tashreefat, Tawaazun. I do feel it’s a massive help to have ridden them in races as I’m seeing some of their traits passed on, it’s interesting in every way and of course I’m riding them still at home. I rode No Risk Al Maury to win on his debut at Hereford, with Tashreefat second. We knew they were both very good horses and they both ran against each other first time out. “As No Risk Al Maury progressed as a racehorse, it was always a goal to breed a horse by him. Myself and Sheila bred Izenterisky, who was a close second first time out and then he won his next race. It was a dream come true.”
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Collington also rode Manark at Hereford on his debut for Duffield, after time off from injury sustained in France, where he had been trained by Damien de Watrigant. Collington recalls: “He was another talented horse I rode for His Highness. We were always trying to get him to settle, obviously Erwan Charpy found other keys with him and to let him go on in his races. It was a fantastic training performance by him to get him to win the Kahayla Classic as he did.” Like Richard Hills, Collington had great memories of Dubai International Arabian Races and has both ridden and trained winners for His Highness at DIAR. He says: “I think riding as an amateur, when you got an opportunity to ride on a thoroughbred card, you knew you were very lucky, and it made you raise your game again. But on Dubai Day, everyone wants to win a race, so riding a treble in 2012, two of which
were for Sheikh Hamdan was completely surreal. “To have a winner on Dubai Day made your year, and of course Sheikh Hamdan himself was there, so that was the day you wanted to shine. There was always an unbelievable buzz on the day, it wasn’t just the opportunity to perform, but to show your gratitude to him.” “I have so many great memories of the day. Since I started training, Jamaayil winning the opening race at DIAR as my first runner for him there, followed by Radames winning the Za’abeel, was fantastic. He had been in France and then with Gill, so he was eight-years-old by then and we didn’t dare hope, but just everything fell into place and he got a fantastic ride from Dane that day too. To be part of a four-timer for His Highness was incredible in my first year of training.”
Jamaayil (GB) in the winners enclosure with HH Sheikh Hamdan at DIAR 2016 THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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Jim Crowley and Muraaqib (FR) winners of the 2017 HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (Gr1PA) in Abu Dhabi Support for all…. Until the historic announcement last December, that thoroughbred trainers would be allowed to train Arabians from January 1st 2021, Arabian racing in the UK has been an amateur sport. Professional jockeys had been permitted to ride in PA Group races and in single races on thoroughbred cards for many years previous to that announcement, however regardless of their status, the opportunity to ride for His Highness has been regarded as a great honour. Speaking to Racing TV prior to the Dubai World Cup, his current retained jockey Jim Crowley, who rode Muraaqib to victory at Goodwood and in Abu Dhabi said: “He was very kind and generous, and loyalty is a word that stands out more than the others. You only have to look at his
trainers, jockeys – everybody has been with him for the long haul. It’s just a real pleasure to have ridden for him.” Crowley went on: “He built up a huge legacy and he’ll be missed by a lot of people. “Sheikh Hamdan would always strive to have good horses and breed good horses as well. It’s a huge loss. He was a wonderful man and will be missed dearly. It’s very, very sad." Grand National winning jockey, Timmy Murphy, who (like Crowley) later changed codes and rode on the Flat where he gained several winners for His Highness, both thoroughbred and Arabian said: ”It was a privilege to have ridden winners in these iconic colours, today is a sad day. Rest in peace Sheikh Hamdan.”
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Sarah Oliver, Chief Executive of the Amateur Jockeys Association commented: “The illustrious list of jockeys who have enjoyed the support and generosity of HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum include such names as multiple Amateur and ARO Champion Jockey Simon Walker, who has ridden many winners in the blue and white colours, including Bengali D’Albret’s second Dubai International Stakes win in 1994.
our sport reverberates far and wide whilst we all are left feeling so grateful for so much.”
“They also include Australia’s superstar Rachel King, who was twice ARO Champion Lady Jockey before emigrating to the Southern Hemisphere. Other ARO title holders include three-time ARO Champion Lady Jockey Joanna Mason, together with ARO Champion Novices Ellie Mackenzie and Charlie Price to name but a few who have since turned professional under both codes.
“I was always delighted with the opportunity to ride for her, as not only were the horses’ top class, her maiden horses were always very well-schooled and she gave straight forward instructions of how she wanted them ridden. I had 11 winners in total for her.
“The loss felt of such a great figure within
Stephen Harrison, who has amassed over 100 winners under ARO rules, said: “As an amateur jockey it was a great honour to wear these iconic colours for His Highness. I had my first winner in them in 2006 for Gill Duffield on a horse called Aljeerah at Lingfield.
“In recent years I have had six winners for Phil Collington. All three winners we had in 2019 Anfaas, Thamaraat and Al Bustan gave me unforgettable memories.”
Phil Colllington with Al Bustan (GB) and Stephen Harrison at Chelmsford City THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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Joanna Mason and Farhaa (GB) after winning at Wolverhampton Joanna Mason, who recently left the amateur ranks and is now an apprentice jockey commented: “It was with great sadness I learnt of the death of HH Sheikh Hamdan. Since I was young I've always seen his colours as prestigious.
this tribute for inclusion.
“I started riding Arabians in 2016 and thanks to James Owen, I was able to wear his famous colours to victory as an amateur on numerous occasions. It was down to James and HH Sheikh Hamdan that I was able to win the ARO ladies championship three years running and to be able to ride on Dubai Day at Newbury.
“My first ride for His Highness was also my first winner abroad. I rode a lovely filly called Farhaa at Hippodrome De Wallonie, in Mons, Belgium in 2018. It was such an honour to ride for such a prolific owner and absolutely amazing to win wearing his silks, it’d always been a dream of mine to ride a winner for HH Sheikh Hamdan and to ride winners abroad, therefore I was so elated to have achieved both those goals in one.
“You just have this huge sense of prestige wearing the famous colours to victory. Rest in peace your Highness.” One young jockey for whom riding on Dubai International Arabian Races had a huge effect was former ARO champion novice, Ellie Mackenzie. She has also since taken out her apprentice licence and won in His Highness’s colours. She forwarded
“I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to ride in the famous blue and white colours of HH Sheikh Hamdan's Arabians for James Owen.
“I rode my second winner for him in a big handicap at Chepstow on a filly called Rafeef in June 2019. To ride for HH Sheikh Hamdan and carry his colours to victory on my home turf was such an achievement and, as a jockey, it made me feel as though I could do anything.
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“HH Sheikh Hamdan has sponsored the biggest race day in the UK Arabian racing calendar for many years, the Dubai International Arabian Races. To ride a winner on that day is the dream of every jockey who rides Arabian horses. I was lucky enough to enjoy the biggest win of my career to date at the 2017 meeting. When I was still an amateur just starting out in my career, I rode Riyam to victory for The Royal Cavalry of Oman in the Emirates Equestrian Federation International Stakes, which was a Group 2 PA contest at the time. “No words can describe how special this win was to me as it was a huge opportunity just to be riding in a such a big race against top professional jockeys such as Tadhg O'Shea and Olivier Peslier, let alone to be on a horse with a good chance who stayed on gamely to finish in front. It was a massive achievement for me and the feeling of winning such a big race
that day is indescribable (even 4 years later). “Dubai Day has always been the day that every owner, trainer and jockey who loves Arabian horses looks forward to. It’s provided opportunities for many people such as myself who wouldn’t have been given the chance to ride on such a big day in thoroughbred racing to prove that we’re capable of being competitive and winning big prizes. “HH Sheikh Hamdan has always been a huge supporter of racing all over the world and his generosity has afforded many people such great opportunities. The sport of horseracing has prospered under his patronage and he will be dearly missed by everybody in the industry, I count myself incredibly lucky to have been able to ride in his colours and I will always be grateful for the opportunities he afforded me. Rest in Peace HH Sheikh Hamdan.”
Riyam (FR) and Ellie Mackenzie defeat Tadhg O'Shea and Shomoos Athbah (GB) in the Emirates Equestrian Federation Stakes (Gr2PA) at DIAR 2017 THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
Roster Standing in the UK No Risk Al Maury
Kesberoy - Nectarine Al Maury (Baroud III)
Sire of recent Stakes winners MIN’HA (Gr.2 PA), JAHRA (Gr.2), HYLA DU LOUP (Gr.3 PA), AL NOURY (Gr.3 PA), SALMA NOUR GRINE (Gr.3 PA) Out of the outstanding maternal line of numerous International Group winners Fee:
€3,500 Frozen Semen Only
Al Jakbar
Al Sakbe - Essaada (Hosni)
Group 1 winner over a mile in France Sire of Group winners and performers Fee:
€750 Frozen Semen Only
Manark
Mahabb - Mendra (Sousse)
Multiple Group winner by exceptional sire MAHABB FIRST YEARLINGS 2021 Fee:
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€2,000 Natural Cover Only
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Handassa
Madjani - Ziva (Dormane)
Multiple Group winner by exceptional sire MADJANI Fee:
€1,500
Af Al Buraq
Amer - Al Hanouf (Sabaan)
Leading sire in the UAE by number of wins for the third consecutive year Sire of stakes winners and performers including: AF MAHER (Kahayla Classic Gr.1 PA), AF AL SAJANJLE (Gr.2 PA), AF MAQAYES (Gr.3 PA), AF ALWAJEL (Gr.3 PA) Fee:
€3,000 Natural Cover Only
Sivit Al Maury Akbar - Savavit Al Maury (Dormane)
Multiple Stakes winner
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The Golden Era Gill Duffield was His Highness’s trainer of Arabians initially in the UK and then later in the Gulf as well. When commenting on His Highness’s passing (page 12) she said: “The quality of horses I trained for him was exceptional, such as Kaolino, Majdani and No Risk Al Maury.” On retiring from training at the end of the 2015 season she was interviewed by The Arabian Racehorse (Issue 9), the following excerpts are from that interview.
Shadwell Director Richard Lancaster presents the ARO Champion Trainer Trophy to Gill Duffield in 2015
Gill Duffield’s 28 years of training racehorses ended when she collected her 12th ARO Trainer’s Championship in September 2015, though she has won 18 in total. She has been a great advocate of amateur sport, starting with Point-to-Pointers before establishing herself as the leading lady of Arabian racing. She has handled many of her patron HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s best horses, both in the UK and the UAE.
How did your involvement in Arabian racing start? “At that time, one of [my point-to-point] owners’ was doing all the fencing at Shadwell, and he asked me if I would be interested in training Arabians. I thought no, out hunting they throw themselves all over the place and they won’t jump anything, but then I thought yes, they’re Sheikh Hamdan’s Arabians, they might be quite good ones! So I started with four."
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“My dream when I had pointers was to win the Foxhunters Steeplechase at Aintree, and I had my first Arabian winner there, so I went into the winners’ enclosure at Aintree with a horse called Kerim Bey. They were all British-bred winners that Sheikh Hamdan had selected. We had a few winners a year and then these four finished and I thought there’s no more coming, I’ll write to Shadwell and say thank you very much, but I’m now going to spend more time with the children and just do pointers in the winter. “Then I got a phone call, ‘Gill go out and buy yourself some more Arabians’. So off I went, still buying in the UK, as we had some very good breeders here there then. We bought a mare called Silvena who won 14 races and out of that little group I think they won about 28 races. Then Sheikh Hamdan said I want to win the Dubai
[International] Stakes, so we went to France and bought Benagli D’Albret and of course he went and won it, twice. So, it really went on from there, with Sheikh Hamdan buying more horses from France." How did you come to go to Dubai? "I won the Dubai Stakes with a horse called Jiyush and when I was in the winner’s enclosure Richard Hills said to Sheikh Hamdan, “This horse should go out to Dubai and Gill should train him” and that was how it started. Sheikh Hamdan sent me out to Dubai with nine horse that first season. That was the old Nad Al Sheba back in 2002. We trained on the track like in America, though I did used to take them off into the desert for little rides. The early years over there were a really amazing experience."
Jiyush (FR) enjoying his retirement at Shadwell Stud THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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“That first season we won two legs of the Triple Crown and the Arabian Derby; we won the Group 1 Emirates Championship with Jiyush, and we won the Presidents Cup and that hadn’t been won outside of Abu Dhabi, ever. It was an amazing first season. "The second season a few of the other owners asked if I could train for them and Sheikh Hamdam allowed it. We then went over with about 52 horses, and then coming back and training 30 plus horses here so in total I was training about 80 to 90 horses a year. “The next season I took Kaolino over, Richard [Hills] said ‘you’ve got to really look after this horse’ and the following
season he won the Kahayla Classic. Then the next year Madjani came along and he won the next three, so that was four Kahayla Classics on the bounce. “When Meydan was built, that altered things quite a lot, I think the training fees went up and a lot of the smaller owners couldn’t afford it, so we had less horses then. “We won the first race to be run at Meydan with No Risk Al Maury, he made history that day. The problem for No Risk Al Mury was that he was in the shadow of Madjani, so we didn’t really appreciate him whilst Madjani was around. No Risk Al Maury was racing over here in the UK, winning the Dubai International Stakes twice, whilst Madjani was racing in the UAE."
Kaolino (FR) and Wille Supple win the Mazrat Al Ruwayyah (Gr2PA) at Nad Al Sheba in 2006 ©Andrew Watkins THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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Madjani (FR)
Tell us more about Madjani... “In my first two years in Dubai, I shared my stables with John Saddler, an Australian trainer, who was an amazing guy. I used to sit in my office every night and look out of the window and John’s horses would be led past and I used to think my God they look fabulous, so I never stopped picking his brains. “Then one day I saw him with this horsebox and I said, ‘John, where are you going?’ He said, ‘I’m going to the beach to swim’ so I said, ‘Can I follow you?’ Everywhere John went, my little box was following. Can you imagine Arabians in the sea? They used to whip round and not want to go in, but eventually they would. It was great fun! “Then John gave up, the third year I went over he was going back to Australia and Madjani had turned up as a three-year-old. Richard Lancaster had bought him in France where he’d won one race and decided he was off to Dubai. I had said how well John looked after the horses, he
had looked after some of ours that stayed behind during the summer and so they gave him a horse to train, which was Madjani. Then John left and the other trainer had him that had moved in. “I used to look across to this horse every day and think oh my goodness you’re so nice! Then got a letter to say you’re to train Madjani and he came to my yard. He was young and big boned, and at that point he’d had a few soundness issue’s, so I said that I wasn’t going to run him for a year. He missed almost all of 2004 and then from then on, he just went from strength to strength. “We knew he was good by the way he worked, so he won the Presidents Cup prep, the Presidents Cup. He was beaten in the last round of the Al Maktoum Challenge, by Djelmane, so because of that Richard picked the horse he’d won on previously, Al Saoudi. Willie Supple won on Madjani that first time and then every year, it was more or less the same program for him."
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“I believe when you go over there, every race is a tough race. It’s hard to win in the Gulf, even the little races are so competitive. The main bulk of Arabian racing in the Gulf is after Christmas and horses can only take so many hard races, so if you can sit on them, which isn’t always so popular with owners, then you can do better later on in the season. All the jockeys say it’s the soundest horse that wins over there, because it tough, racing in the Gulf." Many of your best runners are now sires... "Most of Kaolino’s stock are in America and I’d always thought he’d be a dirt sire. Madjani won as much on the turf as he did on dirt so I hoped he would produce winners on both surfaces. I never thought
Madjani would have three-years-olds, because he’s not that type of horse and I think to go to Madjani you need a very athletic mare, because otherwise you run the risk of getting very heavy horses, so you need something lighter boned. I do think people should use him more, as how many horses have won three Kahayla Classics! The fashion is currently for sons of Amer though." Apart from Madjani, which horses have given you the greatest pleasure to train? "I’m so emotional about Bengali D’Albret, because I absolutely loved that horse, he was in the stable right next to my house and he was fabulous. Even now when you watch the DVD’s, the way he picked up and won his races was so exciting.
Bengali D'Albret (FR) at Shadwell Stud [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians] THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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blow me down Sophie went and won the Dubai International beating Magic De Piboul who had previously won the Kahayla Classic. It shows you should never be frightened of one horse! She was a lovely mare, very, very good. I love her daughter Aghsaan, she will be good next year." "Also winning the Mazrat Al Ruwayyah with Kaolino gave me a lot of pleasure. He’d won at four in England and he was moving up the handicap ratings and then went and won the Mazrat. Actually Paul Hanagan rode him as an apprentice then, that was amazing.
Sophie Du Loup (FR) and Gill Duffield [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians]
"Sophie Du Loup I had from the start, I can remember going to Dubai Day grumpy, looking at the card thinking I haven’t got a chance of winning anything today and
"Madjani winning the Kahayla three times was obviously special, you dream about winning that race. You have all these big races nowadays, the World Cup in France, the Amir Sword and now Goodwood, but in my era it was the Kahayla. All Arabian trainers are still very passionate about winning that race as it was the first big race of its kind."
Madjani (FR) and HH Sheikh Hamdan after winning the 2006 Dubai Kahayla Classic [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians] THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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Creating Champions Following Gill Duffield's retirement, HH Sheikh Hamdan's UK Arabian string was divided between two former leading amateur jockeys Phil Collington and James Owen. Both have been ARO champion trainers assisted by his patronage.
Jim Crowley with Al Azeeza (FR) Rosie Carey and James Owen after winning the Emirates Premier Handicap at DIAR in 2019
Four-time ARO champion trainer James Owen is just one of many in the sport who owe much of their career success to the support of HH Sheikh Hamdan. Sharing His Highness’s string with near neighbour Phil Collington, he currently has around 20 of His Highness’s horses in training including the 2020 ARO leading mare Wanaasa. Owen started riding his parents Arabians
in races when he was 16, progressing to the point-to-point field where he was East Anglian champion jockey nine times. He later set up a pre-training yard and received two of HH Sheikh Hamdan’s Arabians, which he was allowed to get started on the track before they moved on to Gill Duffield. Bon Baiser De Faust for His Highness was his first runner and his first winner in 2015, and the association has gone from strength to strength ever since.
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Awzaan (FR) and Martin Dwyer win the Royal Cavalry of Oman Clarendon Stakes (Gr3PA) at Newbury in 2019
Of the association Owen says: “Al Azeeza is of course a career highlight, as everyone wants to have a winner on Dubai Day. To win that opening race of the meeting, when His Highness comes down to the paddock to greet his jockeys was a huge honour. “That she was bred by His Highness, out of a Hatta winner, made it even more important. We had four nice fillies in the race, all homebreds, and to have the winner and two of them to be placed was really special.” Later that season Owen also gained his first pattern winner for His Highness with Awzaan winning the Royal Cavalry of Oman Clarendon Stakes (Gr3PA) over five furlongs at Newbury. It was also a first black-type winner for his sire Al Saoudi. Recalling that day Owen said: “It was a bit of a shock actually. We always knew Awazaan had plenty of ability, as he’d been Group1 PA placed over a mile, but he took a long time to mature mentally. He travelled really well in that race, all the way to the line to win by three lengths eased
down. “He was a horse I’d had right from the start, as I’d inherited him from Gill. He had won on his debut for her, then on his debut for me the following year. In 17 starts over five years he only finished out of the first three on five occasions. Though he wasn’t the easiest to train, he always repaid you on the track.” Owen has also had great success for His Highness overseas, particularly last season when race options were limited in the UK because of Covid19. Over the winter he has continued to break in and pre-train His Highness’s Arabians, several of which have now gone into training in France, he concludes: “Being involved with His Highness and the Shadwell team has been an amazing experience. To be trusted with his horses is a great honour and to repay that trust with winners is even better. “The opportunities he has given me, and my amateur jockeys such as Jo Mason and Alex Chadwick, have been massive. We are all so grateful for his support.”
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Champion of the Grassroots Over the years a small number of horses have been made available for sale to the UK's grassroots owner-breeders of Arabian racehorses. John Elliott and Teresa Kinsey explain how they are one such example who have benefitted from this support and the competitively priced stallions at Shadwell Arabians.
Merwah (GB) with her Al Jakbar (FR) colt, Upstart Crow (GB) ©Teresa Kinsey
“Upon hearing of the recent sad news of the passing of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, we felt compelled to look back at our journey and success of Arabian Racing and Breeding over the years. “In the early years of the1990’s John Elliott trained our own Arabian horses, from the livery yard we were at. We had our first winner at Huntingdon in 1994 and John even trained a double at Stratford. We hired a local thoroughbred trainer’s gallops on a weekly basis to do our fast work. Upon chatting with the trainer one day, about one of our Arabian’s Faleh, that
was particularly headstrong, he offered to let one of his work riders called Philip Collington have a sit on the horse to help out. I think Philip enjoyed his ride on the Arabian, as shortly afterwards he moved to work in Arabian yards and the rest was history. “We later had the opportunity to purchase two young Arabians from Shadwell Stud in hope of more success. One of these was called Merwah, a lovely three-year-old filly. Proving very useful, she went on to win a Premier Handicap at Kempton Park in 2008 and from then John decided he would like to breed from her."
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"Merwah went on to produce three more colt foals, two by Madjani (Hau Kola and The Third Man) and one by Al Jakbar (Upstart Crow). Jaldi Karo won his debut and a further two races in the UK, later being sold to Sweden and winning numerous races including a Group 3PA.
Jehol De Cardonne (FR) [photo supplied by Shadwell Arabians]
"He chose Shadwell Stud’s Jehol De Cardonne for Merwah’s first cover. After recently buying our own land, we moved Merwah there ready to foal and in April 2011 she produced a lovely big colt, who we named Jaldi Karo. That is where our breeding addiction all started.
"Philip Collington climbed the ranks, riding in the famous blue and white silks, becoming Champion Jockey and eventually was one of the appointed trainers to take over from Gill Duffield. Philip’s first winner as a trainer, was Hau Kola, of which we will always be very proud. Upstart Crow is currently in training with Philip for his first season in 2021 and we look forward to watching his journey. "In 2021, Merwah at the age of 19 is fit and well and all three of her retired offspring, Jaldi Karo, Hau Kola and The Third Man are back home with us."
Jaldi Karo (GB) and Luke Morris go to post for the 2015 Shadwell Arabian Derby (Gr1PA) at Newmarket where they finished fourth. He won three races in the UK and was also fourth in the Royal Cavalry of Oman Clarendon Sakes (Gr3PA) in 2016 THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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UAE Champions Owning horses of the calibre of three-time Dubai Kahayla Classic winner, Madjani, HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum was also a leading owner in his native UAE. There he also inspired others with his love of horses, and in particular Arabians, including the current champion owner, Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda.
AF Mathmoon (AE) with HH Sheikh Hamdan after winning the Dubai Kahayla Classic at the Dubai World Cup in 2016
The Championships in the UAE combine both Arabian and thoroughbred results, however it is possible to sort between the two. Whilst HH Sheikh Hamdan has won the main overall title on numerous occasions, when taking account of just the Arabian wins, he has been leading owner seven times since the first season in 92/93. He has also featured as the runner-up on five occasions. Given the highly competitive nature of the racing there and the strength in depth of the bloodlines, it
is a remarkable achievement. For five of the last six years the owners’ title has gone to Emirati businessman, Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, who cites HH Sheikh Hamdan as a great mentor for his breeding. Despite early advice to the contrary, Al Nabooda has championed the ‘local’ bred Arabian and after many years of trial and error with his breeding he has proved that an ‘AE’ foaled horse is the equal of those from Europe or America.
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HH Sheikh Hamdan’s last Kahayla Classic winner AF Mathmoon was gifted to him by Al Nabooda, breeder of the highly successful stallion AF Al Buraq, who now stands under the Shadwell Arabians banner in the UK. There follows a personal tribute to His Highness from Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda. “Wednesday 24th March 2021 dawned but little did we know how black it would be. I received a call at 8 am to inform me that HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum has left for his heavenly abode. The room swung around me I couldn’t think, I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t react. It was as if someone had wrung my heart till it was dry. I could neither absorb the news nor accept it. “I first met HH Sheikh Hamdan as a small
boy still in school, when I visited his Majlis with my father. We usually sat in His Highness’s Majlis where I learnt a lot about finance, politics, economy, religion and of course all kinds of sports. “In HH Sheikh Hamdan’s Majlis, you not only met the high-ranking ministers and prominent UAE businessmen, but you also met the common man, people with problems, the poor, and HH Sheikh Hamdan lent his ear to each and every one of them. “HH Sheikh Hamdan taught me, encouraged me and added to my knowledge, guided me and each time I faced any issue I turned to him for advice. He is the one who introduced the love of horses in me, in particular the purebred Arabians. He stood like a mountain behind me."
HH Sheikh Hamdan with Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda [photo supplied by Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda] THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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Now standing at Shadwell Arabians in the UK - three time UAE Champion sire AF Al Buraq (AE) and sire of Kahayla Classic winner AF Maher (AE) “HH Sheikh Hamdan was my godfather, my friend, my mentor, my adviser, he was everything to me. “UAE lost their great benefactor and the whole country is sad and bereft. Words we speak are not enough to show the world how great a human being he was. He helped not only in UAE, but also outside UAE, especially in Africa where he encouraged and promoted education as he also did in Europe. “He always asked me to attend as many seminars and gatherings that I could which were related to horses and waited eagerly for my feedback on the discussions. You cannot image how interested he was in the minutest details. This just proved that he was a real
horseman. “I promised HH Sheikh Hamdan that I would continue looking after Arabians and will never forget his advice. “The world has lost a very large-hearted human being, a man who developed many financial firsts for his country, someone whose love for horses made him encourage horse lovers like me to breed and get interested to encourage the local bred horses to compete on the worlds’ biggest race arena. “The loss is indeed too much to bear.”
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Global Group 1 PA Success HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum has recorded a remarkable 73 Group 1PA winners around the world since Nivour De Cardonne won the Dubai Kahayla Classic in 2000
Al Zahir (FR), a son of Madjani wins the 2019 HH The President Cup (Gr1PA) under Jim Crowley, trained by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi ©ERA
2019
AL ZAHIR
HH The President Cup
2018
AL ZAHIR AL ZAHIR BARNAMAJ MURAAQIB
HH The President Cup Emirates Championship Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Qatar International Stakes
2017
AF MATHMOON HANDASSA MURAAQIB MURAAQIB MURAAQIB
Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Coupe d'Europe des Chevaux Arabes International Malazgirt Trophy Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown
2016
AF MATHMOON AF MATHMOON HANDASSA MURAAQIB RADAMES
Dubai Kahayla Classic Liwa Oasis Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Shadwell Dubai International Stakes Jebel Ali Racecourse Za'abeel International
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2015
MANARK MURAAQIB MURAAQIB VERSAC PY
Dubai Kahayla Classic Arabian Trophy Des Poulains Al Rayyan Cup - Prix Kesberoy Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3
2014
AL HIBAAB SIVIT AL MAURY
Shadwell Dubai International Stakes International Malagirt Trophy
2012
QUITE A SHOW VERSAC PY
Liwa Oasis Emirates Championsip
2011
NO RISK AL MAURY NO RISK AL MAURY SANTHAL
Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2
2010
EL RIGOLETTO NIRWAN NO RISK AL MAURY NO RISK AL MAURY
Liwa Oasis Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3
2009
AL JALFANE KANDAR DU FALGAS NIRWAN QUAOLINA REMARKABLE MAN SANTHAL
Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 HH The Presidenet Cup Liwa Oasis Emirates Championship Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3
2008
KANDAR DU FALGAS MABRUM MADJANI NO RISK AL MAURY QUAOLINA
Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 Emirates Championship Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Shadwell Dubai International Stakes Al Hai Group Za'abeel International Stakes
2007
AL JAKBAR AL JALFANE AL JALFANE CHARH MADJANI NO RISK AL MAURY
French Arabian Breeders' Cup Mile Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Emirates Championship Dubai Kahayla Classic Shadwell Dubai International Stakes
2006
AL KESBE AL SAOUDI AL SAOUDI KANDAR DU FALDAS MADJANI MADJANI MADJANI NAPHIR
Liwa Oasis Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Prix du President des EAU-Challenge Derby HH The President Cup Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Dubai Kahayla Classic Abu Dhabi Championship
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2005
AKIDO VEGE AL SAOUDI DJELMANE KANDAR DU FALGAS MADJANI MADJANI
Shadwell Dubai International Stakes Emirates Championship Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Abu Dhabi International Championship HH The President Cup Dubai Kahayla Classic
2004
BENGALENT EAU ROYAL KAOLINO
First Bank National Day Gold Cup Dubai International Stakes Dubai Kahayla Classic
2003
BOPP MOON Dubai Kahayla Classic DJELDOR DE BOZOULS Zaabeel International Stakes DJOUDAN Dubai International Stakes
2002
NIVOUR DE CARDONNE Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 ZIVA Hatta International Stakes
2001
AL SAKBE BOPP MOON BOPP MOON DAFFAQ
2000
Dubai International Stakes Prix du President des EAU-Challenge Derby
President of the UAE International Challenge Derby
Coupe de Sud Ouest des Pur Sang Arabes
NIVOUR DE CARDONNE Dubai Kahayla Classic
THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE Spring Issue 2021 BREEDING SPECIAL
ARO NEW SEASON PREVIEW
- Shadwell Arabians UK special - Stallion statistics
BACK TO SCHOOL Stalls training with Witheford Equine, we talk with the experts and to recently retired BHA senior starter Peter Haynes. THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
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The Final Furlong
Dubai Day 2016 - HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum traditonally greets all his jockeys riding in the first race. Though I have photographed His Highness numerous times, they are invariably formal pictures in the winners enclosure.
There are many recollections of his good humour by those who have worked for him, and this shot shows His Highness sharing a joke as he reviews the runners with Dane O'Neill (left) who was to ride the eventual winner Jamaayil, and Tadgh O'Shea (right).
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