Declarations are done! Eleven starters prepare for the 2100m HARC European Championship on 30th October in Ghlin, Belgium offering a purse of Euros 20,000.
The big surprise for the forthcoming HARC Championship is the running of an Iranian horse that has travelled especially for this race all the way from Iran to Ireland, where it spent its last weeks of preparation at Highfort stud. One can guess the owner, Mr Mohammed Reza Ghanei Ardakani and his translator Hamid Reza Mojtahedzadeh, who started this venture are quite excited about it. The horse Ganj Beik is one of the better Heritage racehorses in Iran having won a HARC race not so long ago. The sire of the paternal granddam was the well-known black stallion Samarquand that Mary Gharagozlou loved so much. He was a son of Arras, a horse Mary used to ride herself. We wish Ganj Beik the best of luck giving attention to the Iranian breed of Asil horses, tracing way back in the history of the Arab breed.
Also new to HARC and very much appreciated, is the participation of the two Italian Heritage horses, both belonging to Angela Origgi. Italy joined HARC racing just this year but have a strong tradition of racing Arab horses, especially in Sardinia, where the major state-stud produced very athletic Arabian horses. Both 3-year old contenders for the HARC-Championship are bred by La Bosana Stud: Ibis Bosana of Egyptian/Russian/Polish bloodlines and Ianua Bosana of Russian/Polish lineage.
The Russian breeders (Tersk and Samovolov Stud) send again this year their good horses to compete in this HARC-Championship which means so much to the Russian Arab breeders. We all remember Sakmagon Tersk who finished second last year only 3/4th length behind the winner – and thus contributing to the victory of Russia for the Nations Cup – Sakmagon Tersk will form the Russian team with two more colts, Ceylon (*2012) belonging to Valentin Bukhtoyarov and the young, but very successful in his homeland, Gidon belonging to Samovolov Stud. All three horses have been on the road since last Monday … and we wish them safe travels and good condition upon arrival.
The Swedish delegation has three horses who also competed last year:- the overall winner Pamill’s Lipse has a very favorable weight this year as she did not run in her home country in Heritage races, which she very probably would have won, but instead tackled open races of higher level where she did not achieve higher than third. Still a great performance for a Heritage horse in an open race. Her travelling companions Mr Maximus and RM Estelle both contributed last year to secure the second position in the Nations Cup.
Kallista, our only GB Heritage horse going for competition abroad is a strong competitor and won/placed several times in HARC and open races in England. Owner Paul Simmons will hopefully be present this year in Ghlin to offer support for this special occasion of his Sambist daughter trained by Peter Hammersley.
The only Belgian–trained contender is the Romanian-bred Demona by a Russian sire, but out of old bloodlines bred by Mangalia, the National Stud of Romania. Her owner, Guillaume Filet is in fact French, living in Romania and is working very hard there to start up again the races for Arabian horses and in particular for the Heritage horses. Till now, only very little French blood has found its way to Romania, and the Romanians have a strong pride of their national breeding.
We wish good luck to all horses and their connections.
For more information: www.harchorses.com
Nelly Philippot
Quicklinks
Oct 26 2017
