COMMISSIONING ASSERTS CLASSIC CREDENTIALS FOR BAHRAINI OWNER-BREEDERS IN GROUP 1 FILLIES' MILE
Shaikh Isa Salman and Shaikh Abdulla Al-Khalifa achieved the dream of any owner-breeder on Friday afternoon when winning a Group 1 with COMMISSIONING (GB), a filly they bred and reared at Highclere Stud in Berkshire.
Going into the race with an unbeaten record in two appearances, including in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes last time out, Commissioning went off the Fillies’ Mile favourite. John & Thady Gosden’s representative tracked the leader NOVAKAI (GB) throughout the race and overtook her in the final half furlong to win by a length.
In winning the Group 1 Fillies' Mile, the KINGMAN (GB) filly became the second new top-level winner in the space of six days for the Juddmonte sire, who stands at Banstead Manor Stud just outside Newmarket, after victory for KINROSS (GB) in the Prix de la Forêt last Sunday.
“She was a very easy filly to raise,” Jake Warren, owner of Highclere Stud, told GBRI after the race.
“Uncomplicated, physically very Kingmanesque, a lot of quality about her, beautiful head and markings, very well put together and just a lovely filly.
“The mare is from a lovely family. She is a full sister to a Group 1 winner and has shown she can produce Group 1 horses. Shaikh Isa was on the sales ground and selected her with us when she was purchased at Tattersalls Book 1 in 2014. She was an absolute beauty of a physical and was very classy. She went into training with John Gosden and was unraced at two, won her maiden at three in May and then ran at Royal Ascot in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes. After that performance, John said we should supplement her for the Irish Oaks. It was incredibly exciting but, unfortunately, she had an injury before that race. She had a huge amount of ability but couldn't race on. But to go from where we were back then, a phone call from John saying she would not be running the Group 1 to now winning a Group 1 with her first racing foal, has been a truly wonderful story.
“The mare’s first foal was a beautiful filly by FASTNET ROCK. She unfortunately had a setback in training early in her two-year-old career and had to be retired. She has another Fastnet Rock colt, a lovely yearling which will go into training soon. The mare is in foal to NEW BAY (GB).
“Highclere Stud seems to be a good rearing ground for Kingman progenies, obviously having bred PALACE PIER (GB) ourselves and now this filly. So hopefully we have many more to come.”
On breeding and rearing horses on behalf of Shaikh Isa Salman and Shaikh Abdulla Al-Khalifa, Warren continued:
“It means a great deal to be part of Shaikh Isa and Shaikh Abdulla’s successes. My father has worked with Shaikh Abdulla, who bred and reared CAMELOT (GB) at Highclere Stud, for a long time. It was Shaikh Abdulla’s idea to introduce his nephew Shaikh Isa to us and the mare was the first horse Shaikh Isa purchased at public auction. For her to be breeding a Group 1 winner with her second foal is amazing. She is their golden goose.
“She was also extremely poignant for Shaikh Isa and Shaikh Abdulla as she is the first homebred Bahraini Group 1 winner. An exciting moment for them and a historic moment as far as the Bahraini emergence onto European racing is concerned.
“Shaikh Isa himself subsequently went on to buy many more mares of a very high standard. He has a philosophy of ‘buy the best, breed to the best’ and this is seen through this Group 1 winning Kingman filly. We are incredibly proud to look after those wonderful horses on their behalf and help them achieve those successes.”
Finally, on winning the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile in particular, Warren commented:
“Of all the Group 1s that one dreams of winning, the Fillies’ Mile is so special as it leaves you with such a thrill about the future because of its link up to Classic races. So Shaikh Isa and Shaikh Abdulla can have a very warm feeling over the winter of having bred and owning a filly that can go on to win a Classic. It can arguably be described as a Guineas trial.
“The owner-breeders were ecstatic on the phone on Saturday. So much thought, time and resource were put into this result, so it was an emotional moment for us all when she crossed the line.”