Rafha (horse)

Rafha (19 February 1987 after 2009) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. As a two-year-old in 1989 she won two of her four races including the May Hill Stakes. In the following year she was undefeated in three starts, taking the Princess Elizabeth Stakes and the Lingfield Oaks Trial before recording her biggest victory in the Prix de Diane. After her retirement from racing she became a prolific and successful broodmare whose foals include Invincible Spirit.

Rafha
SireKris
GrandsireSharpen Up
DamEljazzi
DamsireArtaius
SexMare
Foaled19 February 1987[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
ColourBay
BreederNawara Stud Co Ltd
OwnerA A Faisal
TrainerHenry Cecil
Record7: 5-2-0
Earnings£196,031
Major wins
May Hill Stakes (1989)
Princess Elizabeth Stakes (1990)
Lingfield Oaks Trial (1990)
Prix de Diane (1990)

Background

Rafha was a "tiny"[2] bay mare bred in the United Kingdom by her owner, A A Faisal's Nawara Stud. She was sent into training with Henry Cecil at his Warren Place stable in Newmarket, Suffolk. She was ridden in all but two of her races by Steve Cauthen.

She was sired by Kris, an outstanding miler who won fourteen of his sixteen races between 1978 and 1980.[3] Kris's other progeny included Oh So Sharp, Unite, Balisada, Shavian and Shamshir.[4] Rafha's dam Eljazzi won one minor race from four starts in Britain in 1983 and 1984.[5] She was a granddaughter of B Flat (foaled 1958) whose other descendants included Bachir, Pitcairn and Assessor.[6] Eljazzi had been bought for Faisal by the bloodstock agent Johnnie Lewis who had previously had great success as a bobsleigh racer.[2]

Racing career

1989: two-year-old season

Rafha's first contest, a maiden race over six furlongs at Goodwood Racecourse on 2 June was barely a race at all as she started at odds of 1/14 and won easily by two and a half lengths from her only opponent.[7] Willie Ryan took the ride a month later when the filly ran in a minor event at Newmarket Racecourse and finished second, beaten half a length by the Luca Cumani-trained Agri Dagri. On her next start, over seven furlongs at Epsom Racecourse on 28 August she led for most of the way before being overtaken in the final strides and being beaten a neck by Ruby Tiger, to whom she was conceding ten pounds in weight. On 13 September Rafha was stepped up in class and distance for the Group 3 May Hill Stakes over one mile at Doncaster Racecourse and started the 11/8 favourite against four opponents. After being restrained at the rear of the field she made steady progress in the straight, overtook the front-running Knight's Baroness a furlong from the finish and won by a length.[8]

1990: three-year-old season

Rafha made her first appearance as a three-year-old in the Listed Princess Elizabeth Stakes over eight and a half furlongs at Epsom on 24 April. Starting the even money favourite an eight-runner field she took the lead a furlong out and accelerated away from her rivals to win by ten lengths from the Ian Balding-trained Spurned.[9] On 12 May the filly started 8/13 favourite for the Listed Oaks Trial over eleven and half furlongs at Lingfield Park and won by a neck from Knights Baroness after taking the lead approaching the final furlong.[10]

On 10 June Rafha was sent to France to contest the Prix de Diane over 2000 metres at Chantilly Racecourse in which she was partnered by the 47-year-old veteran Willie Carson. Her thirteen rivals included Houseproud (Poule d'Essai des Pouliches), Atoll (Oaks d'Italia), Air de Rien (Prix Saint-Alary) and Moon Cactus (Prestige Stakes). After pulling hard in the early stages Rafha turned into the straight in sixth place and then accelerated through the field to take the lead 200 metres from the finish. She kept on strongly in the closing stages and won by half a length from Colour Chart with Moon Cactus a further half a length back in third place. After an inquiry by the racecourse stewards Colour Chart was disqualified for hampering the fourth-placed finisher Air de Rien.[11]

Breeding record

At the end of her racing career, Rafha was retired to become a broodmare for the Nawara Stud. She produced at least fourteen foals and eleven winners between 1992 and 2009:

Pedigree

Pedigree of Rafha (GB), bay mare, 1987[1]
Sire
Kris (GB)
1976
Sharpen Up (GB)
1969 
Atan (USA) Native Dancer
Mixed Marriage (GB)
Rocchetta Rockfella
Chambiges (FR)
Doubly Sure (GB)
1971 
Reliance (FR) Tantieme
Relance
Soft Angels Crepello
Sweet Angel
Dam
Eljazzi (IRE)
1981
Artaius (USA)
1974
Round Table Princequillo (IRE)
Knights Daughter (GB)
Stylish Pattern My Babu (FR)
Sunset Gun (GB)
Border Bounty (GB)
1965
Bounteous Rockefella
Marie Elizabeth
B Flat Chanteur (FR)
Ardeen (Family: 7-a)[6]

References

  1. "Rafha pedigree". Equineline.
  2. Armytage, Marcus (3 July 2017). "The legacy of bloodstock legend Johnnie Lewis is still paying dividends in stallion sheds". Daily Telegraph.
  3. Timeform staff (1981). Racehorses of 1980. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-31-6.
  4. "Kris - Progeny". Racing Post.
  5. Timeform staff (1985). Racehorses of 1984. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-40-5.
  6. "Vicissitude - Family 7-a". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2014-03-23.
  7. "EBF Portsmouth Football Club Maiden Fillies Stakes result". Racing Post. 2 June 1989.
  8. "May Hill EBF Stakes result". Racing Post. 13 September 1989.
  9. "Princess Elizabeth Stakes result". Racing Post. 24 April 1990.
  10. "Oaks Trial result". Racing Post. 12 May 1990.
  11. "Prix de Diane result". Racing Post. 10 June 1990.
  12. "Al Widyan - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  13. "Sadian - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  14. "Fnan - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  15. "Aquarius - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  16. "Massarra - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  17. "Acts Of Grace - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  18. "Jafaru - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  19. "By Command - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  20. "Gyr - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
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