Alhaarth
Encyclopedia
Alhharth is a retired champion Thoroughbred
racehorse and active sire, bred in Ireland
, but trained in the United Kingdom
and Dubai
during a racing career that lasted from 1995 to 1997. He was named European Champion Two-Year-Old at the 1995 Cartier Racing Awards. In his championship season he won all five of his races including the Group One
Dewhurst Stakes
and three other Group races. He went on to win the Prix du Rond Point at three and the International Stakes (Ireland)
and Prix Dollar
as a four-year-old. After his retirement he became a successful stallion and is currently standing at the Derrinstown Stud in Ireland.
high, was bred in Ireland by his owner Hamdan Al Maktoum
's Shadwell Stud. He was sired by Unfuwain
out of the mare Irish Valley. Unfuwain was a high-class middle distance runner who won four Group
races before siring the winners of more than five hundred winners at stud. Irish Valley, who never raced, was a half-sister to the Poule d'Essai des Poulains
winner and Champion sire
Green Dancer
and in addition to Alhaarth, produced the Prix du Calvados
winner, Green Pola.
Alhaarth was originally sent into training with Dick Hern
at West Ilsley
. At the end of his three-year-old season he was transferred to the Godolphin team and moved to the stable of Saeed bin Suroor
. He was ridden in ten of his first eleven races by Willie Carson
who retired at the end of the 1996 season: Alhaarth's Dewhurst victory was Carson's last Group One win in Britain. Alhaarth means "the tiller" in Arabic.
in July. He showed his inexperience ("ran green") but took the lead inside the final furlong to win by a neck from the future Classic winner Mark of Esteem
. Two weeks later he was moved into Group Three
class for the Vintage Stakes
at Glorious Goodwood. Alhaarth started odds-on favourite and after tracking the leaders he recovered from being hampered in the straight to win by a length from Allied Forces.
In the Solario Stakes
at Sandown in August Alhaarth started at 30/100 and won comfortably, beating Staffin by three lengths. The Independent
's correspondent praised his balance, "authority" and "exceptional stride", whilst bookmakers offered him at 16/1 for the 2000 Guineas and 8/1 for the Derby
. Only two colts took on Alhaarth in the Champagne Stakes. He won again, beating Rio Duvida at odds of 2/5, but the lack of pace and weak opposition meant that the race proved little.
On his final start of the season, Alhaarth was sent to Newmarket for Britain's most prestigious two-year-old race, the Group One
Dewhurst Stakes
. Only three colts opposed Alhaarth, but they included the Prix Morny
winner Tagula, and the unbeaten Danehill Dancer, winner of the Phoenix Stakes
and the National Stakes
. Alhaarth tracked the pacemaker Albaha, before moving into the lead three furlongs out. He soon went clear and recorded an "impressive" win, beating Danehill Dancer by two and a half lengths. Hern called the "demolition" of Danehill Dancer as a "great performance" and described Alhaarth as the best two-year-old he had trained while the senior handicapper Geoffrey Gibbs called the win "very authoritative" and suggested that Alhaarth was on the way to becoming a great horse. His price for the Guineas was as cut to as low as 2/1.
over a mile at Newmarket, but after taking the lead, he was caught in the closing stages and beaten a neck by Beauchamp King. Hern spoke positively after the race, saying "that will have done him good" but reportedly looked as despondent as "a man who had just had his tomatoes visited by blight". Despite the defeat, Alhaarth started 2/1 favourite for the 2000 Guineas over the same course and distance just over two weeks later after performing impressively in an exercise gallop. He was held up in the early stages, but when asked to challenge he was unable to reach the leaders, and finished fourth, six lengths behind Mark of Esteem.
Alhaarth was moved up to middle distances for his next two starts. In the Epsom Derby
he put up a fair effort to finish fifth behind Shaamit
after meeting interference in running, but in the Irish Derby he was disappointing, coming home a remote ninth of the thirteen runners behind Zagreb.
A return to one mile saw him take third places in the Sussex Stakes
and the Celebration Mile
before he was sent to France for the Prix du Rond-Point at Longchamp on Arc
day in October. Ridden by Richard Hills
, Alhaarth led from the start and stayed on strongly to record his first victory in almost a year, beating the 1995 winner of the race Shaanxi
by one and a half lengths. The victory was greeted enthusiastically by the British contingent and Hern said that the performance gave him "great pleasure, because I know what a good horse he is."
. He did not run however, until Royal Ascot, where he ran second to Bosra Sham
in the Prince of Wales's Stakes
. Twelve days later he traveled to Ireland to win the Group Two Budweiser American Bowl International Stakes
, taking the lead a furlong out and running on well to beat Gothenberg by a length.
His next two starts were disappointing: he finished last of the nine runners in the Celebration Mile in August and a remote third, beaten more than 18 lengths behind Pilsudski
in the Irish Champion Stakes
.
On his final start, Alhaarth returned to Longchamp in October and produced his best performance of the season in the Group Two Prix Dollar
. He led from the start and was always "in command", winning by a length from Lord Cromby.
winner Royal Applause
.
He was also named European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt at the Cartier Racing Awards for 1995.
. He has sired the winners of more than 500 races, including Haafhd
(2000 Guineas, Champion Stakes
), Bandari (six Group races) and Phoenix Reach (Dubai Sheema Classic
, Hong Kong Vase
). He currently stands at a fee of €5,000.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse and active sire, bred in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, but trained in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
during a racing career that lasted from 1995 to 1997. He was named European Champion Two-Year-Old at the 1995 Cartier Racing Awards. In his championship season he won all five of his races including the Group One
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
Dewhurst Stakes
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was established in 1875, and it...
and three other Group races. He went on to win the Prix du Rond Point at three and the International Stakes (Ireland)
International Stakes (Ireland)
The International Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June or early July.-History:The event was originally held at...
and Prix Dollar
Prix Dollar
The Prix Dollar is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,950 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.-History:The event was introduced in 1905, and it...
as a four-year-old. After his retirement he became a successful stallion and is currently standing at the Derrinstown Stud in Ireland.
Background
Alhaarth, a bay horse with a white blaze standing 16 handsHand (unit)
The hand is a non-SI unit of measurement of length, now used only for the measurement of the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. With origins in ancient Egypt, it was originally based on the breadth of a human hand...
high, was bred in Ireland by his owner Hamdan Al Maktoum
Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the Minister of Finance and Industry of the United Arab Emirates . He is the second son of the late ruler, Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum ....
's Shadwell Stud. He was sired by Unfuwain
Unfuwain
Unfuwain was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse bred and owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum. In a brief career of ten starts, lasting from 9187 to 1989, he won four Group races and was placed in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe...
out of the mare Irish Valley. Unfuwain was a high-class middle distance runner who won four Group
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
races before siring the winners of more than five hundred winners at stud. Irish Valley, who never raced, was a half-sister to the Poule d'Essai des Poulains
Poule d'Essai des Poulains
The Poule d'Essai des Poulains, sometimes referred to as the French 2,000 Guineas, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts...
winner and Champion sire
Leading sire in France
The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of racehorses in France for each year since 1887. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the season .-----References:* -See also:*...
Green Dancer
Green Dancer
Green Dancer was a French Thoroughbred racehorse. A son of the great English Triple Crown winner, Nijinsky, he was bred in Kentucky by Germaine Wertheimer of Paris, France who owned his dam, Green Valley....
and in addition to Alhaarth, produced the Prix du Calvados
Prix du Calvados
The Prix du Calvados is a Group 3 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
winner, Green Pola.
Alhaarth was originally sent into training with Dick Hern
Dick Hern
William Richard "Dick" Hern, CVO, was an English Thoroughbred racehorse trainer and winner of sixteen British Classic Races between 1962 and 1995, and was Champion Trainer on four occasions....
at West Ilsley
West Ilsley
West Ilsley is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England.-Location and amenities:It is situated in the West Berkshire district north of the town of Newbury on the Berkshire Downs. There is also an East Ilsley approximately a mile southeast of the village.West Ilsley has a public house, The...
. At the end of his three-year-old season he was transferred to the Godolphin team and moved to the stable of Saeed bin Suroor
Saeed bin Suroor
Saeed bin Suroor , is a horse racing trainer. Formerly a policeman, he took out his training license in 1994 and the following year was appointed as the trainer for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation....
. He was ridden in ten of his first eleven races by Willie Carson
Willie Carson
William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.-Life and career:Best known as "Miserable Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland. In 1957 he was apprenticed to Captain Gerald Armstrong at his stables at Tupgill, North Yorkshire...
who retired at the end of the 1996 season: Alhaarth's Dewhurst victory was Carson's last Group One win in Britain. Alhaarth means "the tiller" in Arabic.
1995: two-year-old season
Alhaarth made his debut in a maiden race at NewmarketNewmarket Racecourse
The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...
in July. He showed his inexperience ("ran green") but took the lead inside the final furlong to win by a neck from the future Classic winner Mark of Esteem
Mark of Esteem
Mark of Esteem is a retired Irish bred thoroughbred racehorse. In his two years racing he achieved 4 wins and 1 placed finish from 7 Runs amassing total Prize Money of £365,139.00.-1995: Two-Year-Old Season:...
. Two weeks later he was moved into Group Three
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
class for the Vintage Stakes
Vintage Stakes
The Vintage Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August.-History:...
at Glorious Goodwood. Alhaarth started odds-on favourite and after tracking the leaders he recovered from being hampered in the straight to win by a length from Allied Forces.
In the Solario Stakes
Solario Stakes
The Solario Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 7 furlongs and 16 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
at Sandown in August Alhaarth started at 30/100 and won comfortably, beating Staffin by three lengths. The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
's correspondent praised his balance, "authority" and "exceptional stride", whilst bookmakers offered him at 16/1 for the 2000 Guineas and 8/1 for the Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
. Only two colts took on Alhaarth in the Champagne Stakes. He won again, beating Rio Duvida at odds of 2/5, but the lack of pace and weak opposition meant that the race proved little.
On his final start of the season, Alhaarth was sent to Newmarket for Britain's most prestigious two-year-old race, the Group One
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
Dewhurst Stakes
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was established in 1875, and it...
. Only three colts opposed Alhaarth, but they included the Prix Morny
Prix Morny
The Prix Morny is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,200 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...
winner Tagula, and the unbeaten Danehill Dancer, winner of the Phoenix Stakes
Phoenix Stakes
The Phoenix Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July or August.-History:...
and the National Stakes
National Stakes
The National Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
. Alhaarth tracked the pacemaker Albaha, before moving into the lead three furlongs out. He soon went clear and recorded an "impressive" win, beating Danehill Dancer by two and a half lengths. Hern called the "demolition" of Danehill Dancer as a "great performance" and described Alhaarth as the best two-year-old he had trained while the senior handicapper Geoffrey Gibbs called the win "very authoritative" and suggested that Alhaarth was on the way to becoming a great horse. His price for the Guineas was as cut to as low as 2/1.
1996: three-year-old season
Alhaarth began 1996 as the short-priced favourite for both the 2000 Guineas and the Derby although Hern was reported to be concerned by the colt's lack of physical growth. Alhaarth lost his unbeaten record on his three-year-old debut. He started 1/2 favourite for the Craven StakesCraven Stakes
The Craven Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid April.The event serves as a trial for the first...
over a mile at Newmarket, but after taking the lead, he was caught in the closing stages and beaten a neck by Beauchamp King. Hern spoke positively after the race, saying "that will have done him good" but reportedly looked as despondent as "a man who had just had his tomatoes visited by blight". Despite the defeat, Alhaarth started 2/1 favourite for the 2000 Guineas over the same course and distance just over two weeks later after performing impressively in an exercise gallop. He was held up in the early stages, but when asked to challenge he was unable to reach the leaders, and finished fourth, six lengths behind Mark of Esteem.
Alhaarth was moved up to middle distances for his next two starts. In the Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
he put up a fair effort to finish fifth behind Shaamit
Shaamit
Shaamit was an Irish-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse, winner of the Epsom Derby in 1996.Shaamit was foaled on 11 February 1993 and was sired by Mtoto, winner of the Eclipse Stakes in 1987 and 1988 and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 1988...
after meeting interference in running, but in the Irish Derby he was disappointing, coming home a remote ninth of the thirteen runners behind Zagreb.
A return to one mile saw him take third places in the Sussex Stakes
Sussex Stakes
The Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August.-History:...
and the Celebration Mile
Celebration Mile
The Celebration Mile is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late August....
before he was sent to France for the Prix du Rond-Point at Longchamp on Arc
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
day in October. Ridden by Richard Hills
Richard Hills
Richard Hills is a flat racing jockey. He is twin brother to Michael Hills and their father is racehorse trainer Barry Hills. The twins' older brother John Hills is also a trainer...
, Alhaarth led from the start and stayed on strongly to record his first victory in almost a year, beating the 1995 winner of the race Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
by one and a half lengths. The victory was greeted enthusiastically by the British contingent and Hern said that the performance gave him "great pleasure, because I know what a good horse he is."
1997: four-year-old season
Alhaarth joined the Godolphin stable and spent the winter of 1996-7 in DubaiDubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
. He did not run however, until Royal Ascot, where he ran second to Bosra Sham
Bosra Sham
Bosra Sham is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse, bred in the United States and trained in the United Kingdom who won several important races between 1995 and 1997 and was one of the highest-rated fillies of modern times.-Background:...
in the Prince of Wales's Stakes
Prince of Wales's Stakes
The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
. Twelve days later he traveled to Ireland to win the Group Two Budweiser American Bowl International Stakes
International Stakes (Ireland)
The International Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June or early July.-History:The event was originally held at...
, taking the lead a furlong out and running on well to beat Gothenberg by a length.
His next two starts were disappointing: he finished last of the nine runners in the Celebration Mile in August and a remote third, beaten more than 18 lengths behind Pilsudski
Pilsudski (horse)
Pilsudski is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire who was bred in Ireland, but trained in the United Kingdom during a racing career which lasted from 1994 to 1997. In a four season career he progressed from winning modest handicap races to become regarded as one of the best racehorses...
in the Irish Champion Stakes
Irish Champion Stakes
The Irish Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:The event was established in 1976, and...
.
On his final start, Alhaarth returned to Longchamp in October and produced his best performance of the season in the Group Two Prix Dollar
Prix Dollar
The Prix Dollar is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,950 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.-History:The event was introduced in 1905, and it...
. He led from the start and was always "in command", winning by a length from Lord Cromby.
Assessmment
Alhaarth was rated the best two-year-old to run in Europe during 1995, being awarded a rating of 126 in the International Classification, two pounds ahead of the Middle Park StakesMiddle Park Stakes
The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The event was established...
winner Royal Applause
Royal Applause
Royal Applause is a retired British Champion Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He was undefeated in four races as a two-year old in 1995, including the Group One Middle Park Stakes , the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes and the Group Three Coventry Stakes...
.
He was also named European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt at the Cartier Racing Awards for 1995.
Stud career
Since his retirement, Alhaarth has stood at Hamdan Al Maktoum's Irish base at the Derrinstown Stud, County KildareCounty Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
. He has sired the winners of more than 500 races, including Haafhd
Haafhd
Haafhd is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse and active stallion, best known for winning the 2000 Guineas and Champion Stakes in 2004.-Background:...
(2000 Guineas, Champion Stakes
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October...
), Bandari (six Group races) and Phoenix Reach (Dubai Sheema Classic
Dubai Sheema Classic
The Dubai Sheema Classic is a Group 1 flat horse race in the United Arab Emirates open to thoroughbreds which are four-years-old or above. It is run over a distance of 2,400 metres on the turf track at Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, and it takes place annually during the Dubai World Cup Night in...
, Hong Kong Vase
Hong Kong Vase
The Hong Kong Vase is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 2,400 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December....
). He currently stands at a fee of €5,000.