Sohna Stud Farm’s mare Hawafiz in limelight

Indian breeding is certainly looking up. Sohna Stud Farm’s resident stallion Noverre has made a big impact in Europe even before his first crop in India is set to race next November. The expectations are high following the success in major graded races of the progeny of Noverre in Europe. Apart from the fact that Indian breeders have invested in big stallions, they have also been successful in obtaining top mares which are sure to boost Indian breeding to a great extent.

A number of mares acquired by Indian breeders have produced top quality winners in Europe after these mares had been bought to stand in Indian stud farms. Sohna Stud Farm has been in the news for the success it has been enjoying. The last one year has indeed been a dream run for the stud farm. Both champion filly Jacqueline and champion colt Bekcet who were the horses of the year in 2009-10 hail from the stud farm. Sultan Singh who owns the stud farm with the Thapars has been on cloud nine as apart from Noverre, the mares he bought at Goff’s have also been in the news.

Now even as the first crop of Noverre is being picked up with great expectation by leading race horse owners in the country comes the news that one of its mares has produced a Group I winner. Markab smashed the course record en route to posting a Group 1 win for the Henry Candy and Pat Cosgrave team in Haydock sprint on Saturday. The dam of Markab, namely Hawafiz is currently standing at Sohna Stud Farm. Hawafiz was bought in foal to Halling at Goff’s but her first produce did not live long. She has a yearling filly by Ontario and the success of Markab is sure to boost the market value of the yearling.

Markab is the first foal of his dam Hawafiz (Nashwan), who won three times in France. She is a half-sister to the Listed (then) Ballysax Stakes-third Rahn (Elmaamul). Their dam Taghareed (Shadeed) was second in the Listed (then) Sweet Solera Stakes and is a half-sister to the Gr.3 Diomed Stakes winner and dual Gr.1-placed Zaahi (Slew O’Gold),
the Listed Scherping-Rennen winner Kadim (Diesis), the Listed Doncaster Stakes-second Bahith (Topsider) and Zaylah (Pulpit; dam of the Stakes winner Zaylaway). The third dam Alghuzaylah (Habitat) won and is a half-sister to the dual Gr.1 winner Pitasia (Pitskelly; dam of the Listed winner and sire Fioravanti and grandam of the Gr.3 winner and dual Classic-placed Toroca).

Opinion was split between the jockeys over the best position on the quick ground, and Cosgrave and Markab led the six runners who kept to the stands’ side, while the Colm O’Donoghue-ridden 11-8 favourite Starspangledbanner led the seven on the far side.
Despite hanging across the track in the closing stages, Markab still proved to be too good for his rivals with the 12-1 chance coming home clear of Lady Of The Desert (9-1) and Genki (20-1) in a time of 1min 9.4secs, a shade over half a second quicker than the previous. Starspangledbanner finished a disappointing fifth.

The winner had posted a rare below-par effort when fifth in a Group 3 at Newbury last time having beaten all bar Equiano in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot the time before and Cosgrave was delighted to see him get his head in front at the highest level.
He said: "Good, that makes up for Ascot. He's a very good horse, he always was. After he won at Thirsk [in April] I said this is a Group 1 horse and he needs to be running in one."

Candy was equally pleased and was already looking ahead to future targets. He said: "Isn't he the most gorgeous beast? He's magnificent. He's just blissfully happy as he spends every day out in a paddock and is just a very happy horse. He seems to be getting better and if I'm absolutely happy with him I might consider a go at the Abbaye [Longchamp, October 3].

"I blame myself for running him too quickly at Newbury. That was entirely my fault and we've given him a nice break since.

He'd frighten the life out of you at home because he always looks as big as a bull. But he's remarkably clean winded and is a good worker."

Back home in India, an elated Sultan Singh broke the news of the success of Markab at Haydock. ``I am absolutely thrilled to be having the mare that has produced a Group I winner,’’ he added.


The mare was acquired by Sultan Singh at the Goff’s and leading bloodstock agent Gautham Kothwal was responsible for the purchase of the mare which is sure to be the envy of other stud farm owners.

Source: www.racingpost.com and EBN

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