Mouktar

Mouktar (foaled 19 January 1982) was an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Bred and owned by the Aga Khan, he was undefeated in his first five races including the Critérium de Saint-Cloud, Prix Greffulhe, Prix Hocquart and Prix du Jockey Club before finishing unplaced behind Law Society in the Irish Derby. He won the Prix Niel on his only subsequent appearance and was retired to stud at the end of his three-year-old season.

Mouktar
SireNishapour
GrandsireZeddaan
DamMolitva
DamsireTompion
SexStallion
Foaled19 January 1982[1]
CountryIreland
ColourGrey
BreederAga Khan IV
OwnerAga Khan IV
TrainerAlain de Royer-Dupré
Record7: 6-0-0
Major wins
Critérium de Saint-Cloud (1984)
Prix Greffulhe (1985)
Prix Hocquart (1985)
Prix du Jockey Club (1985)
Prix Niel (1985)
Awards
Top-rated French two-year-old (1984)
Top-rated French three-year-old (1985)
Timeform rating: 124p (1984), 129 (1985)

Background

Mouktar was a "fine, big, rangy"[2] grey horse[3] bred in Ireland by his owner Aga Khan IV. He was sired by the grey stallion Nishapour, who won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains for the Aga Khan in 1978 and sired the Prix de Diane winner Shemaka and the Racing Post Trophy winner Beauchamp King.[4] Mouktar's dam Molitva won two races over one and half miles and was a descendant of François Dupré's racemare Mirna, who won the Prix de la Forêt and the Prix du Moulin.[5]

The colt was sent into training with Alain de Royer-Dupré at Chantilly and was ridden in most of his races by Yves Saint-Martin.

Racing career

1986: two-year-old season

Mouktar did not make his racecourse debut until late October 1984 when he won a maiden race over 1800 metres at Longchamp Racecourse against nine opponents. In November he was moved up in class to contest the Group two Critérium de Saint-Cloud over 2000 metres. Mouktar started the odds-on favourite in field of fourteen runners. He took the lead in the straight and drew clear of the field to win by six lengths from Hello Bill.[6]

1985: three-year-old season

In April 1985, Mouktar made his first appearance of the season in the Prix Greffulhe over 2000 metres at Longchamp. Racing on very soft ground, he started the 1/5 favourite and won easily from French School. In May Mouktar started the 3/10 favourite for the Prix Hocquart over 2400 metres. Racing on much faster ground he led from the start and was never seriously challenged, winning comfortably from Premier Role.[2]

On 9 June, Mouktar started the 1/5 favourite for the Prix du Jockey Club over 2400 metres at Chantilly Racecourse. He took the lead from the pacemaker Gottardo at half distance and won by two and a half lengths from Air de Cour. Timeform described the race as "dull and uninteresting", pointing out that many of the best French-trained colts, including Baillamont and Sumayr had bypassed the event in favour of the Prix Jean Prat and the Grand Prix de Paris. Commenting of the ease of Mouktar's win, Saint-Martin called the winner "an exceptional horse who has never been under pressure in his life".[7] Three weeks after his win at Chantilly, Mouktar was sent to the Curragh to contest the Irish Derby against a field which included Law Society, Triptych, Damister and Baillamont. Mouktar was accompanied by his regular traveling companion, a pony which helped to soothe his nervous disposition.[8] He started the 9/4 second favourite but after taking the lead early in the straight he faded in the last two furlongs and finished seventh of the thirteen runners behind Law Society.[2]

In September, Mouktar ran in the Prix Niel at Longchamp, and won by a nose from Saint Estephe to whom he was conceding two pounds. He was entered in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe[9] but was withdrawn from the race and retired.[2]

Assessment

In the official International Classification for 1984, Mouktar was the highest-rated two-year-old trained in France, four pounds below the British colt Kala Dancer. The independent Timeform organisation rated him at 124p, the "p" indicating that he was likely to make significant improvement.[6] As a three-year-old, Mouktar was given a Timeform rating of 129, seven pounds behind the top-rated Slip Anchor. In the International Classification he was the top-rated three-year-old trained in France and the seventh highest-rated horse in Europe behind Slip Anchor, Petoski, Rainbow Quest, Sagace, Pebbles and Shadeed.[2]

Stud record

Mouktar was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion at his owner's Ballymany Stud in County Kildare. He was not a great success at stud, but sired a few good winners including the Japanese Group Three winner Mayano Petrus and the steeplechaser Morceli who won the Dipper Novices' Chase and Maghull Novices' Chase in 1996.[10]

Pedigree
Pedigree of Mouktar (IRE), grey horse, 1982[1]
Sire
Nishapour (FR)
1975		 Zeddaan (GB)
1965		 Grey Sovereign Nasrullah
Kong
Vareta Vilmorin
Veronique
Alama (IRE)
1969		 Aureole Hyperion
Angelola
Nucciolina Nuccio
Mah Behar
Dam
Molitva (GB)
1973		 Tompion (USA)
1957		 Tom Fool Menow
Gaga
Sunlight Count Fleet
Halcyon Days
Mislava (FR)
1968		 Tanerko Tantieme
La Divine
Mirna Mourne
Mitzika (Family 5-b)[5]

References
  1. "Mouktar pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  2. Timeform staff (1986). Racehorses of 1985. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-42-1.
  3. "Mouktar image". sporthorse-data. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  4. "Nishapour Stud Record". Racing Post. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  5. "Thoroughbred Bloodlines – Grey Skim – Family 5-b". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  6. Timeform staff (1985). Racehorses of 1984. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-40-5.
  7. "Unbeaten Mouktar wins French Derby with ease". New Straits Times. 11 June 1985. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  8. "French mount strong Derby challenge". New Straits Times. 29 June 1985. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  9. "Small field expected for Arc". New Straits Times. 26 September 1985. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  10. "Morceli race record". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
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