By Brian Sheerin
He may be one of the biggest supercar collectors in the world, but Sprewell's owner Mohamed Khalid Abdulrahim admits that it is the inability to predict what is underneath the bonnet of a racehorse that is the main lure for him to the sport.
The 35-year-old is looking forward to his first Derby runner at Epsom on Saturday with the Jessica Harrington-trained Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). Bred by his father Khalid Abdul Rahaim, who also raced the dam Lahaleeb (Ire) (Redback {GB}), Sprewell has been described by the Bahraini-based owner as the horse his family have been waiting for ahead of Saturday's big race.
“I'm very excited, trust me,” Abdulrahim said. “I have been waiting a long time for this horse. It is going to be a huge day for my father and I and, as I said, we have been looking forward for a really long time for a horse like Sprewell. We're very fortunate.”
He added, “Team Harrington keep telling us that Sprewell is probably the best colt that they have ever had over this distance, honestly. I mean, I couldn't believe it, but that's what Jessica thinks.
“They have done a fantastic job with the horse and we're delighted, obviously. They are an amazing team and Jessica is obviously a super tough woman, which makes this story even better. I would be so happy for them if we can win the Derby, not just for my father and I, but for the Harringtons as well.”
Sprewell was bred at Friarstown Stud in Kildare, which is owned by Khalid Abdul Rahaim, who also has farms in the United Kingdom and on home shores in Bahrain. According to Abdulrahim, who runs the racing arm of the operation and has a penchant for fast cars as well as horses, the plan is to grow the ownership model in Europe.
He said, “I have been involved in racing for four years now but my father has been breeding and racing horses for over 30 years now. So I have been only four years in racing and I come across a horse like this. Talk about luck. My Dad does the breeding and I run the racing side of things. It's a good team and I am very fortunate that my father breeds horses.”
Abdulrahim added, “This is what makes it even better, to be honest. You could buy and breed a lot of horses and you may not come across a horse of the standard of Sprewell. Horse racing is a weird game. A lot of luck involved. But I love it and it is a part of us now.
“We own Friarstown Stud in Kildare. We have 15 mares there. We also have operations in the UK and in Bahrain as well. In Bahrain, we do the weekly races and use a stud farm over there, but we still haven't sold anything yet! I am trying to get that operation moving because, up until now, it has been used privately for us.
“We just breed for ourselves and race the horses right now. But, in the coming years, we could race and sell. We have horses with Kevin Philippart de Foy, including El Habeeb (Ire) (Al Rifai {Ire}), another 110-rated performer, and three or four with team Harrington as well. I am thinking of doing more. That is going to grow.”
Abdulrahim races horses in Bahrain under the banner of MKAR Racing. Sprewell and El Habeeb, who is by the family's homebred stallion Al Rifai, have performed to a high level in Europe already and Abdul Rahim admits that the breeding-to-race aspect of the operation is what excites him most.
He explained, “Lahaleeb raced in my father's colours. I can remember when he bought her, I was studying in the UK, and it was all over the news how much he paid for her at the sales. “Nowadays, what he paid for her [1,000,000gns], is not that much but I remember it caused a big stir at the time. Lahaleeb is the dam of Al Rifai, who is the sire of El Habeeb, but Sprewell is the best out of her for sure.”
Asked if the success with Sprewell is made more special given the pedigree has been nurtured by his father, Abdulrahim said, “It makes it the world more special, trust me. For us, breeding a horse makes it much better than buying one. All of the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to produce a racehorse, all the trial and error that you go through in trying breed a superstar horse, it's all worth it. Hopefully we have found one now in Sprewell.
“The Derby is the biggest Classic there is. It's everyone's dream to win the Derby. The track is extremely tough and the horse needs to be tough to finish the race, not only to win, so we know how hard it is going to be. It is one of the biggest races for my father and I and we are very excited to have a runner.”
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