HARC race broadcast live on Equidia
25 October 2017, Belgium ~ The Hippodrome Wallonie at Ghlin will be the location for two great Arabian races on 30 October, 2017. The Arabian Horse Racing Club of Belgium (AHRCB) Closing race has 11 starters in a race over 1500m for the prize money of €10,000, and an equal eleven are expected for the €20,000, 2100m HARC Championship.
The HARC-Championship has attracted the first runner from Iran, Ganj Beik, that first traveled to Ireland to prepare at Highfort Stud. His owner, Mohammed Reza GHANEI ARDAKANI and his translator, Hamid Reza MOJTAHEDZADEH, who started this adventure, are quite excited about it. Ganj Beik is one of the top running Heritage racehorses in Iran (he won a HARC-race not so long ago). The sire of the paternal Grand dam of this horse 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 the best of luck to the Iranian breed of Asil horses, maintaining and reproducing the history of the Arabian horse breed.
Also new and very much appreciated is the participation of two Italian Heritage horses, both belonging to Angela Origgi. Italy started Heritage racing in 2016, but already have a strong tradition of racing Arab horses, especially in Sardinia where the major State-stud has produced very athletic Arabians, with a dash of French blood. Both 3-year-old contenders for the HARC-Championship are bred by La Bosana Stud: Ibis Bosana is of Egyptian/Russian /Polish bloodlines and Ianua Bosana of Russian/Polish lineage.
The Russian breeders (Tersk and Samovolov Stud) will again send some of their best horses to compete in this HARC-Championship, which is very important to the Russian Arab breeders. We all remember Sakmagon Tersk that finished second last year only 3/4th length behind the winner, thus contributing to the victory of Russia for the Nations Cup. He will head 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. The horses have been on the road since last Monday, and we wish them a safe travel and good condition upon arrival.
The Swedish delegation is bringing three horses we remember from last year. The overall winner, Pamill’s Lipse, this year carrying very favorable weight, 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 levels where she did not come higher than third. This was even so a great performance for a Heritage horse in an open race. Her 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 Heritage horse and won/placed several times in the HARC races and also in the open races in England. Owner Paul Simmons will hopefully be present with trainer Peter Hammersley this year to encourage this Sambist daughter on this special occasion.
The only Belgian–trained contender is the Romanian-bred Demona by a Russian sire, but out of old bloodlines bred by Mangalia at 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 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 are very proud of their National breeding. Let’s hope they can resist the pressure of speed.
The Closing race with 11 starters has horses traveling from Sweden, Germany, England, Holland and Belgium, making it also an international race.