Kenyan-based stallion making presence felt

Question: Which colt was rated Godolphin’s No 1 2YO of 1999 in a generation that included Gr 1 performers KINGS BEST, KUTUB, EKRAAR, CHINA VISIT, LAHAN and MELIKAH?

Clue - he’s a steel grey son of DANZIG out of SIERRA MADRE (multiple Gr 1 winner and dam of a champion - ALJABR) . He won his sole race as a 2YO and in his one start as a 3YO (before being sidelined by injury) he was placed in a Listed Stakes behind World Champion Miler OBSERVATORY (triple Gr 1 winner and vanquisher of GIANTS CAUSEWAY in the Gr 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes) and Champion 3YO Sprinter of 2000 and own brother to DANEHILL – SHIBBOLETH.

The answer is of course MAKAAREM.

The Summerhill managed stallion stands at Rawhide Stud in Kenya and a number of his progeny have recently performed very well on the South African racing scene. As Mick Goss commented to stud managers Joe and Janet Mills today: “Makaarem was the toast of both this farm and many race goers this weekend. He had three ‘first timers’ start at different tracks, one winning over 1200 by four lengths (beating a 7/10 import from Mike de Kock’s yard), another running second over 1600m (beaten by an older horse at level weights) and the third one running an impressive fourth, coming from last in a sprint, and wanting a good deal more ground. He has had a couple of good winners in the last few weeks, and is looking very respectable.”

Comments

[John Baxter]

Godophin's 2yos of 1999 didn't include Kutub, Ekraar or Lahan. The first two were owned and raced as 2yos by Sheikh Hamdan, and were transferred later to Godolphin. Lahan raced throughout her short career for Sheikh Hamdan.

At that time, David Loder trained all of Godolphin's 2yos in France (at Evry from memory). They were then transferred to Saeed Bin Suroor. Loder had China Visit and Makaarem as 2yos, but none of the others.

Melikah didn't race as a 2yo.

King's Best was not owned by any of the Maktoums. He raced throughout his career for Saeed Suhail.

Makaarem ran 4th to Shibboleth, Observatory and Free Rider in the listed race at Newmarket.

[Admin]

John, the post says he was Godolphin's Number 1 rated horse in an era of x and y other horses - it doesn't say the others are Godolphin horses!

Your research is, as always, impeccable though. You're wasted in law!!!! Good luck with your 3 horses in Aus this weekend.

[John Baxter]

Quite so, but then one wonders why you've chosen what some might consider to be comparatively obscure yardsticks like China Visit, Lahan and co, instead of the marquee performers of that year like Sinndar, Sakhee, Giant's Causeway and Medicean.