Arabian World Series A Growing Force

As a Thoroughbred breeding enthusiast, arriving for a day's Arab racing at Newbury can be a little disconcerting. The racecourse is familiar, as are some of the jockeys and trainers, not to mention the indefatigable raceday presenter Derek Thompson, but the horses present a completely new challenge of unfamiliar bloodlines.

Arab racing may still be regarded as a poor relation to Thoroughbred racing in European countries but several major owner-breeders are intent on ensuring its profile is raised outside the Gulf states. Last year came the announcement of the Qatar-backed Arabian Triple Crown, starting at Goodwood, which over the last two years has received significant sponsorship from Qatar for its 'Glorious' meeting.

This Saturday sees the second running of the £400,000 G1 Qatar International S. for Arabs on the same day as the G1 Qatar Nassau S. and Stewards' Cup. This high-profile contest forms the first leg of the Triple Crown, with the second stage being held at no less a prestigious meeting, on Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe day. An enticing bonus of $1million is up for grabs for any horse who manages to complete the challenge in the G1 HH The Emir's Sword at Al Rayyan in Doha the following February.

The 'Qatar' sponsorship of and participation in major Thoroughbred contests in Europe effectively represents the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and his brother Sheikh Joaan of Al Shaqab Racing. While various members of the Al Thani family have played an increasingly important role in European and, to a certain extent, world racing in recent years, the family which has been a dominant force now for decades is Dubai's ruling Al Maktoum dynasty.

Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum of the powerful yet relatively discreet Shadwell operation has been fully committed to the cause of owning and breeding top-class racehorses and his interest doesn't end with Thoroughbreds. While his Arab breeding operation is conducted at a more modest level––with around 23 broodmares and four stallions in England and France––his passion for this branch of the sport is evident in his support of the Dubai International Arabian Races (DIAR) series, both as the major sponsor and as an owner-breeder. Over the last 25 years, the sheikh has been named leading owner 14 times and he is also patron of the British-based Arabian Racing Organisation, which has its headquarters at Newbury where the DIAR holds its most important meeting of the year with three Group 1 contests on the card.

“Sheikh Hamdan is very passionate about Arab racing,” says Shadwell Stud Director Richard Lancaster. “In fairness, it's not on a par with Thoroughbred racing but it is very important to him as it's part of his people's culture and he sees how the Arabian horse was the forebear of the Thoroughbred.”

The scope of the DIAR series is impressive. Throughout 2016 so far, races have been held at Chelmsford, Newbury and Chepstow in the UK, Toulouse and La Teste in France, as well as in Italy, Holland, Sweden and Australia. Furthermore, Lone Star Park in Texas has been named as the host of four Arab races to be run on Nov. 4.

“Arab breeding in Britain has fallen in numbers, and south-west France is really the area where most of the top horses in Europe are bred,” explains Lancaster.

Shadwell's two top Arabian stallions, Madjani and No Risk Al Maury, are both at Haras de Saint Faust in France, while Al Jakbar is at Beech House Stud in Newmarket. The operation extends to a further two stallions at Mandolynn Hill Farm in Texas.

Notable differences to Thoroughbred racing beyond the bloodlines are found in the fact that there is no 2-year-old racing programme and that it is common for horses to race until the ages of eight or nine, while on the stud side artificial insemination––such a thorny topic among Thoroughbred breeders––is permitted.

The global breadth of the DIAR programme is reflected in the runners who have descended on Newbury for its flagship day. A record number of 26 international horses, hailing from Holland, Italy, Belgium, France, Qatar and Sweden, are competing in the eight races, which also feature Abu Dhabi- and Saudi Arabian-owned runners.

Sheikh Hamdan himself provides 18 of the runners on the card, including last year's champion 3-year-old, the homebred Muraaqib, who duly becomes one of his owner's four winners of the day when notching his third Group 1 victory in the Shadwell International S. The colt––a grandson of Sheikh Hamdan's first Arabian champion racehorse Bengali d'Albret––also provides trainer Francois Rohaut with a double at the meeting.

One of two French trainers for Sheikh Hamdan along with Damien de Watrigant, Rohaut is better known as a handler of Thoroughbreds but has 25 Arabs in training at his Pau base. He says, “I've been training Arabs for 20 years now––it's a great pleasure to have them and I've learnt a lot from them. We always love to come to Newbury, it's a target every year with Sheikh Hamdan's horses and we're always very happy to win one of the big races. Muraaqib is a character but he's such a good horse, a champion.”

Another familiar name from the world of Thoroughbreds is Endo Botti, whose father Giuseppe has been reigning champion trainer in Italy for decades in partnership with his brother Alduino, whose sons Marco and Stefano also train, in England and Italy respectively.

Based in Pisa, Endo Botti has just four Arab horses in training alongside his Thoroughbred string of 70 and he has brought two of them to race at Newbury for the first time. His trip is not wasted as his hitherto unbeaten 3-year-old Urge Di Gallura makes his experience tell to keep his immaculate record intact when winning the G2 Emirates Equestrian Federation International S., while fellow Italian-bred Lares De Pine runs on strongly to finish third to Muraaqib in the day's most prestigious race.

“Arab racing is still in its infancy in Italy but we sponsor at Capannelle and a race was upgraded to listed status there last year,” says Richard Lancaster.

The award for the greatest breakthrough success on the day must go to Phil Collington, who, in his first season with a trainer's licence, sent out two winners on the sport's biggest day, including his first Group 1 winner, Sheikh Hamdan's Radames, who struck in the Jebel Ali Racecourse Za'abeel International S. under Dane O'Neill.

“I've ridden him to victory but to win my first Group 1 as a trainer with a horse like him is very special,” says Collington, who, along with fellow Newmarket-based trainer James Owen, took over the preparation of Sheikh Hamdan's horses on the retirement in 2015 of Gill Duffield, for whom he rode successfully as an amateur for many years.

“I started with six horses in October last year and now have 21. I miss the riding a bit but it's as big a buzz doing this, though it's a little bit more nerve-wracking,” he adds. “To have one winner today would have been enough but to have two is amazing.”

Now in its 33^rd year, Newbury's all-Arabian card certainly proved a hit with racegoers, who arrived in droves and occupied the lawn in front of the stand with picnic rugs and deck chairs. Admittedly, free entry to the racecourse would have been a major draw for the many families in attendance but the various sideshows alongside the racing––including a parade of the Queen's two Arabian stallions, a falconry display and pony rides along with competitions to win a car and a holiday to Dubai––ensured entertainment for a range of ages and interests.

In an age in which racing of all varieties is vying for the public vote over an increasingly competitive number of sports and leisure pursuits, encouraging people to racecourses in the first place is of major importance. In this regard, the DIAR flagship day at Newbury certainly proved to be a winner.