Raihana (Aus)
(27Aug06 b f)
Elusive Quality (USA) - Esubooh (Aus)
Trainer: Mike De Kock
Owner: Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum
Breeder: Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum
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| Image courtesy: racingweb.co.za |
Every horse racing enthusiast will have a different reason for first prying under the stable door into the realm of the Sport of kings; Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum is no exception.
The first cousin of the current ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Khalifa was more at home in the Purebred Arabian sphere, training and riding his horses for marathon distances in the region of 120km through the Middle Eastern desert. Events so taxing they render UK endurance races such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup or even the Grand National void in comparison.
Things changed in 1996 when Sheikh Hamdan – brother to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid – in an attempt to kindle his cousin’s enthusiasm for the sport that he and his brother, along with their late brother Maktoum bin Rashid, were so in love with from a young age, provided his cousin with four thoroughbred racehorses as a gift.
The quartet were to race in Dubai, and Map of Stars (USA), a son of American superstar stallion Danzig (USA), provided Sheikh Khalifa with his first winner from his very first runner.
From thereon in, the Sheikh has enjoyed success around the World and his enthusiasm for the sport as would be expected, has never waned.
He switched his attention from Dubai to the Southern Hemisphere and in 2000 made the significant acquisition of Sir Clive (NZ), who was purchased in New Zealand prior to his runner-up performance in the New Zealand Derby, and who also filled the same berth in the following years Australian Derby.
During the time of his Oceania successes, Sheikh Mohammed’s Dubai Racing Carnival was increasing in stature and popularity, and Sheikh Khalifa made the decision to expand his “Al Adiyaat” operation, returning to his homeland in 2006 to team up with South African champion trainer Mike De Kock.
It was following on from De Kock’s recommendation that he purchased Candy Critic (Arg), a daughter of Candy Stripes (USA), who had finished second in the 2006 South African Fillies Classic, and she promptly landed the South African Oaks on her first start for new connections.
Rumour has it that De Kock then travelled to South America under instruction of Sheikh Mohammed to purchase the Argentine champion, Husson (Arg).
Instead, the South African returned with a horse that had finished second to Husson in the G1 Gran Premio Gran Criterium at San isidro, Asiatic Boy (Arg).
This was to prove an inspired move, as Asiatic Boy became a flag bearer for the operation at the 2007 Dubai Carnival landing four straight victories, among them the UAE 2000 Guineas and on World Cup night, the UAE Derby by some 11 ½-lengths.
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| Image courtesy: Wikipedia.org |
After a solid, but slightly unremarkable venture to England, where he finished a two-length fourth in the G1 Sussex S. to Ramonti (Fr) and down the field in the G1 Juddmonte International won by Authorized, Asiatic Boy returned to the Middle East with his target the World Cup itself.
Unfortunately for Sheikh Khalifa, Steve Asmussen also had his eye on Dubai’s biggest prize for his stable star Curlin (USA), and the American hero duly obliged, inflicting a 7 3/4-length defeat on his South American-bred challenger.
Asiatic Boy returned to Dubai the following year with ideas of grandeur and the World Cup again the target. After landing Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge in his World Cup warm-up, he was sent off the 2-1 favourite for the last ever race to be run on the Nad Al Sheba dirt, but was never in the race and finished a long way behind the eventual winner and another American raider in the form of Eoin Harty’s ex-Clive Brittain trained Well Armed (USA).
Sheikh Khalifa’s Yellow & Blue colours have – prior to 10/11 – been carried to victory on an impressive 29 occasions in the past five Dubai seasons, and Lizards Desire (SAf) only narrowly failed to end the quest for that elusive victory in the World’s richest race when narrowly beaten in a three way photograph for the $10million prize at Meydan in March of last year.
This years big World Cup hope appears to be the Durban July winner Bold Silvano (SAf), of whom De Kock told the Racing Post;
“...We are really looking forward to campaigning him in Dubai, when we'll certainly try him on the Tapeta - he's really pleased us working on the surface. We'll aim him at the Dubai World Cup and probably take in at least two legs of the Maktoum Challenge. He's exciting us...”
However, De Kock is also targeting the World’s richest event for two more of his stable stars; Musir (Aus), who was very impressive landing both the UAE 2000 Guineas and UAE Derby in 2010, and the filly who finished runner-up to her stable mate in the latter contest Raihana (Aus).
Raihana, by Elusive Quality (USA) is the first foal of the Sunday Silence (USA) mare Esubooh (Aus), purchased by Sheikh Khalifa as a yearling at the 2003 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $350,000.
The mare did not race but hails from an imposing bloodline being out of the Danehill (USA) mare Felicitation (Aus), herself a daughter of champion Emancipation (Aus).
The mare did not race but hails from an imposing bloodline being out of the Danehill (USA) mare Felicitation (Aus), herself a daughter of champion Emancipation (Aus).
With a WerkNick™ rating of A+ using the Elusive Quality – Sunday Silence cross. (view eNick), the combination is also responsible for another UAE Oaks winner in the form of Godolphin’s 2009 victor Devotee (USA) - another daughter of Elusive Quality, out of the Sunday Silence mare Danuta (USA).
Bred in Australia, Raihana was retained by Sheikh Khalifa and was sent to De Kock to begin her career in South Africa. Finishing runner-up in a 2yo Scottsville maiden on debut, she soon opened her account with a facile victory on her second go at Clairwood in July 2009.
Off the track following that success due to sore shins, she reappeared at last years Carnival, where she opened her Tapeta account with an impressive performance in the 1000 Guineas trial at the opening Meydan meeting.
Sent off the Even money favourite for the 1000 Guineas itself next time out, she could finish only fourth behind Godolphin’s shock 50-1 winner Siyaadah (GB).
Prior to the 2010 Carnival, Mike De Kock showed the regard in which he held the filly when speaking of the ten-furlong UAE Derby as a possible target for Raihana, and the four-year-old proved she had the stamina for the trip with an authoritative victory in the UAE Oaks a fortnight after her defeat in the Guineas.
However, seemingly only second in the Derby pecking order on World Cup night, the bay was ridden by Kevin Shea with Christophe Soumillon preferring her more fancied stable companion. The Belgian proved his judgement was beyond question as Musir passed his rival in the final furlong to lead home a 1-2 for the “Al Adiyaat” team.
Following the Carnival, Sheikh Khalifa arranged for the pair to return to Australia into the care of trainer David Payne, who was to prepare them both for an assault on the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley the following October.
Unfortunately for the Sheikh, things did not go according to plan and Musir has not been since in action since his Derby victory, while Raihana failed to fire in a listed Warwick Farm Handicap before disappointing in a G2 at Rosehill.
Now back under the tutelage of De Kock, she is due to reappear under top-weight back on the turf in a 95+ mile handicap on 27th January, with her trainer reporting that; “...she looks very well indeed and the World Cup looks a feasible target, so well she is going. She’s really matured and is a cracking looking filly now...”.
She may only be third in line for the World Cup behind her more flashy stablemates, but she proved she was no also-ran in last years Derby, and if she puts up an impressive performance on seasonal debut, Sheikh Khalifa may just have another live outsider to challenge for that prize he so desperately desires.
Gavin Dobson, Jan 2011.
