8 March 2016, UK ~ Shadwell Arabian Stallions’s triple Kahayla Classic winner MADJANI sired his first Group 1 winner on Thursday 3rd March at Meydan, in UAE.
The Shadwell-bred 6-year-old colt HANDASSA won the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (Gr.1 PA) over 2000m for his debut on the dirt track of Meydan. His win was a comfortable margin of more than 8 lengths and beat the track record set by 2015 Kahayla Classic winner MANARK, also a Shadwell horse. HANDASSA is trained by François Rohaut and was ridden on the day by Paul Hanagan.
HANDASSA was born in France, at Haras de Saint Faust. His dam ZIVA (by DORMANE), was bought in 2001 after her victory in the International Arabian race La Coupe d’Al Asayl Management in France. Bred and trained by Jean-Marc de Watrigant, she won 5 races, including the Hatta International Stakes (Gr.1 PA) at Newbury racecourse, also for Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. ZIVA has produced several winners, including ELRAAWY (MONSIEUR AL MAURY), AZIZI (MONSIEUR AL MAURY) and TAAJER (MADJANI), winner of the Prix Magicienne in February. HANDASSA is the first Stakes winning progeny out of this mare.
Photo by Shamela
HANDASSA is from the first crop of his sire MADJANI and became his first Stakes winner when he won the Shadwell Arabian Stallions (Listed PA) in Holland in 2015. He then finished 3rd in the Shadwell Dubai International Stakes (Gr.1 PA) at Newbury and travelled to Istanbul to win the International IFAHR Trophy (Gr.2 PA).
Shadwell Stud’s director Richard Lancaster commented: “It was very exciting to see HANDASSA winning on Thursday. It is reminiscent of his sire MADJANI who you all remember as the winner of 3 Kahayla Classics. We can now wait and see if HANDASSA follows the footsteps of his sire.”
MADJANI was crowned Horse of the Year in the UAE in 2005, 2006 and 2007. He won 13 of his 17 starts, including the Gr.1 PA races HH President Cup twice, the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 twice and the Kahayla Classic three times.
Bred in France by Mr Hoyeau, by the remarkable sire TIDJANI, MAJDANI is out of a Tunisian damline that produced the Group winners AL JAKBAR, BINT BELADY (ex TORNADE BLANCHE), ESSAANA, TORNADOR, SPEED TORNADE, OUASSILA THABET.
MADJANI is building a successful international profile with a growing number of Stakes winners and performers. RB FRYNCH BROAD won the Cre Run Oaks Arabian Distaff Stakes (Gr.2) and the Texas Arabian Oaks Stakes (Gr.3) and is the 2015 leading 4yo filly in the USA. BON BAISER DE FAUST, 2nd in the Coupe de France des Chevaux Arabes (Gr.1 PA) and 3rd in the Shadwell Arabian Derby (Gr.1 PA), is the 2015 leading Arabian racehorse in the UK. NIRAAN, also out of a DORMANE mare, is the 2015 leading Arabian racehorse in Sweden. MADJANI has winners in the UK, USA, France, Sweden, Morocco, Oman and UAE.
MADJANI stands in France, in Haras de Saint Faust, where he covers mares naturally. He is also available worldwide via frozen semen.
~ ends release by Shadwell