Timeform 132-rated sprint champion Muhaarar

MUHAARAR (GB) - 2012 bay horse

The Group 1 Commonwealth Cup has been one of the best additions to the European racing programme in recent years and it got off to a tremendous start as its inaugural edition was won by Muhaarar.

Timeform-rated 111 as a juvenile, when he won the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes and finished third in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes, the Charles Hills-trained son of Oasis Dream (by Green Desert) kicked off his three-year-old campaign with a narrow win in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes over seven furlongs but then finished out of the frame in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas).

The distaff side of his family, and the fact he is inbred 4x5 to Mill Reef (by Never Bend), suggested that the mile could be within his compass, but after this classic defeat the decision was taken to drop him back in trip. The Commonwealth Cup and enhanced early-season sprint programme, gives three-year-olds a chance to compete among themselves before being pitched in against the older horses, so the new race became an obvious starting point.

He stormed home by three and three-quarter lengths from Limato, and, in addition to the runner-up, the also-rans included subsequent Group 1 stars Profitable and Jungle Cat. He went on to a short-head success in the Group 1 July Cup, he beat Esoterique by half a length to land the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, and then came home two lengths clear of Twilight Son in the Group 1 British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot.

​This Group 1 four-timer represented his only starts after his classic defeat, he was crowned sprint champion, earned a Timeform rating of 132, and went to Nunnery Stud as an exciting stallion prospect. His triple-digit first book yielded 95 foals.

The best of four blacktype horses for his dam, the half-brother to juvenile listed scorer Sajwah (by Exceed And Excel) is out of Tahrir (by Linamix), a dual seven-furlong winner who earned her blacktype when runner-up in a six-furlong listed contest.

The mare is a full-sister to pattern-placed multiple stakes winner Mister Charm and half-sister to Group 3 Prix de Guiche scorer and Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein third ister Sacha (by Tiger Hill), hence her potential to produce a high-class miler.

Grandam Miss Sacha (by Last Tycoon) was a stakes-winning sprinter, a half-sister to listed scorer Pinta (by Ahonoora), and out of Heaven High (by High Line), a half-sister to champion Timarida (by Kalaglow). That Irish filly won the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes, Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen and Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes, and she was third in the Group 1 Champion Stakes.

​Timarida is the dam of nine-and-a-half-furlong Group 3 scorer Timarwa (by Daylami), while her half-sister Timiya (by High Top) is responsible for dual Scandinavian champion Heavy Loaded (by Pips Pride), who was effective from six furlongs to a mile.

There is nothing in that distaff line to suggest any particular potential as a stallion – it has been an effective source of racehorses – but Muhaarar stands out as its best representative and also as its quickest. He is by one of the leading members of the Green Desert (by Danzig) sire line, and although some of the early Oasis Dream stallions have got stakes winners without making an impact, they do include rising star Showcasing (sire of Group 1 stars Advertise and Quiet Reflection) and several younger horses who are at early stages of their stud careers.

Muhaarar joined the team at Nunnery Stud just after their hugely influential Green Desert died, and he is one of the most brilliant representatives of that stallion’s line. A dozen of his first foals went through the ring last year and 10 of them were sold for a six-figured price, with a top one of 290,000gns. Clearly they are looking the part.

There is an odd misconception among many that sprinter equals early-season juvenile precocity, even though many top sprinters don’t really hit their best until at least the summer of their three-year-old campaign or, in some cases, as four-year-olds.

Muhaarar was a capable two-year-old and can be expected to get some smart summer and autumn juveniles, but his racing and pedigree profile suggest that his best results will come with his three-year-olds and older horses and that, like his sire, his top performers could come anywhere in the broad five to 12-furlong range. He has the potential to become the best stallion son of his sire.

MUHAARAR (GB) - b.2012 - Oasis Dream - Tahrir, 7 wins inc July Cup (Gr1), British Champions Sprint Stakes (Gr1), Prix Maurice de Gheest (Gr1), Commonwealth Cup (Gr1), Gimcrack Stakes (Gr2), Greenham Stakes (Gr3), 3rd Middle Park Stakes (Gr1), July Stakes (Gr2), Winkfield Stakes (Listed). Sire in England. First foals in 2017.

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED
Bc - African Skies (by Johannesburg)     Arqana     August     €280,000
Bf - Al Fareej (by Iffraaj)     Tattersalls     October     70,000gns
Bc - Alasha (by Barathea)     Goffs     October     €80,000
Bc - Alexander Goldrun (by Gold Away)     Tattersalls     October     500,000gns
Bc - All For Laura (by Cadeaux Genereux)     Tattersalls     October     140,000gns
Bc - Anna’s Rock (by Rock Of Gibraltar)     Tattersalls     October     500,000gns
Bf - Annabelle Ja (by Singspiel)     Tattersalls     October     425,000gns
Bc - Aquatinta (by Samum)     Tattersalls     October     200,000gns
Bf - Avenue Gabriel (by Champs Elysees)     Arqana     August     €190,000 (p/s)
Bc - Baileys Jubilee (by Bahamian Bounty)     Tattersalls     October     ​not sold
Bf - Baldovina (by Tale Of The Cat)     Tattersalls     October     withdrawn
Bf - Ballymore Celebre (by Peintre Celebre)     Tattersalls     October     92,000gns
Bf - Beach Bunny (by High Chaparral)     Goffs     October     €500,000
Bc - Brevity (by Street Cry)     Tattersalls     October     100,000gns
Bf - Bright Approach (by New Approach)     Tattersalls     October     72,000gns
Bf - Demerger (by Distant View)     Tattersalls     October     90,000gns
Bc - Dubai Bounty (by Dubai Destination)     Tattersalls     October     100,000gns
Bc - Dulcet (by Halling)     Tattersalls     October     110,000gns
Bc - Dusky Queen (by Shamardal)     Goffs     October     withdrawn
Bc - Evita (by Selkirk)     Tattersalls     October     370,000gns
Bc - Heroine Chic (by Big Bad Bob)     Goffs     October     €55,000
Bc - Heroine Chic (by Big Bad Bob)     Tattersalls     November     withdrawn
Bc - How’s She Cuttin’ (by Shinko Forest)     Tattersalls     October     350,000gns
Bf - Ighraa (by Tamayuz)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bf - I’m In Love (by Zafonic)     Arqana     August     €250,000
Bf - Infamous Angel (by Exceed And Excel)     Goffs UK     August     not sold
Bf - Infamous Angel (by Exceed And Excel)     Tattersalls     November     20,000gns
Bf - Jellwa (by Iffraaj)     Tattersalls     October     38,000gns
Bc - Lady Francesca (by Montjeu)     Goffs UK     August     £120,000
Bc - Lauren Louise (by Tagula)     Tattersalls     October     140,000gns
Bf - Lidanski (by Soviet Star)     Tattersalls     October     130,000gns
Bf - Lonely Ahead (by Rahy)     Tattersalls     October     78,000gns
Bf - Long Face (by Whywhywhy)     Tattersalls     October     85,000gns
Bc - Loulwa (by Montjeu)     Tattersalls     October     65,000gns
Bf - Mathuna (by Tagula)     Goffs     October     €85,000
Bc - Mensoora (by Jet Master)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bc - Mrs Greeley (by Mr Greeley)     Tattersalls     October     300,000gns
Bf - Muntyatee (by Dylan Thomas)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bf - Najam (by Singspiel)     Tattersalls     October     95,000gns
Bf - Nepali Princess (by Mr Greeley)     Arqana     October     
Bc - New Providence (by Bahamian Bounty)     Goffs UK     August     £16,000
Bf - Pacifique (by Montjeu)     Arqana     August     €250,000
Bc - Passion Overflow (by Hennessy)     Goffs UK     August     £80,000
Bc - Persario (by Bishop Of Cashel)     Tattersalls     October     80,000gns (p/s)
Bf - Propel (by Dubawi)     Tattersalls     October     100,000gns
Bc - Prudenzia (by Dansili)     Arqana     August     €420,000
Bf - Queen Of Tara (by Sadler’s Wells)     Goffs     February     €9,000
Bf - Queen Of Tara (by Sadler’s Wells)     Goffs     October     €45,000
Bf - Queenofthefairies (by Pivotal)     Tattersalls     October     925,000gns
Bc - Rainbow Desert (by Dynaformer)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bc - Reroute (by Acclamation)     Tattersalls     October     32,000gns
Bc - Riskit Fora Biskit (by Kodiac)     Tattersalls     October     70,000gns
Bf - Rose Blossom (by Pastoral Pursuits)     Tattersalls     October     130,000gns
Bc - Rose Of Summer (by El Prado)     Tattersalls     October     375,000gns
Bc - Royal Highness (by Monsun)     Arqana     August     €160,000
Bf - Saadiah (by Dubai Destination)     Tattersalls     October     ​11,000gns
Bc - Shumoos (by Distorted Humor)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bf - Solola (by Black Sam Bellamy)     Tattersalls     October     90,000gns
Bf - Soudanaise (by Peintre Celebre)     Arqana     October     
Bf - Station House (by Galileo)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bf - Sun Bittern (by Seeking The Gold)     Arqana     August     withdrawn
Bf - Sun Bittern (by Seeking The Gold)     Goffs     October     €85,000
Bc - Swift Campaign (by Intikhab)     Tattersalls     October     160,000gns
Bc - Tropical Paradise (by Verglas)     Tattersalls     November     ​32,000gns
Bf - Up In Time (by Noverre)     Tattersalls     October     70,000gns
Bc - Vanishing Grey (by Verglas)     Tattersalls     October     350,000gns
Bf - Waldjagd (by Observatory)     Arqana     October     ​
Bf - Walk On Bye (by Danehill Dancer)     Tattersalls     October     125,000gns
Bc - Weekend Fling (by Forest Wildcat)     Goffs     October     €400,000
Bc - Whatdoiwantthatfor (by Kodiac)     Tattersalls     October     ​withdrawn
Bc - Xceedingly Xcited (by Exceed And Excel)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
​Bf - Zacheta (by Polish Precedent)     Tattersalls     October     not sold