Nahoodh


Nahoodh is an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was sold as a foal and again as a yearling before entering training with Mick Channon. As a two-year-old she was beaten in her first two starts before recording her first major win in the Lowther Stakes. In the following year she finished fifth in the 1000 Guineas and was the beaten favourite in the Irish 1000 Guineas before being transferred to the stable of Mark Johnston. In July 2008 she recorded her biggest victory when she won the Group One Falmouth Stakes and went on to finish fourth in the Prix Rothschild and second in the Matron Stakes. She was retired from the end of the season and has had some success as a dam of winners.

Background

Nahoodh is a grey mare bred in Ireland by the Lady Chryss O'Reily's Petra Bloodstock Agency. She was one of the best horses sired by Clodovil who won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains in 2003, and from whom she inherited her grey colour. Her dam Mise was unraced but came from a good family, being a female-line descendant of the influential American broodmare Fast Line, the ancestor of Bernardini and Northern Trick.
Nahoodh was offered for sale as a foal at Deauville in December 2005 and was bought for €30,000 by Emerald Bloodstock. In November 2006 the filly returned to the sales ring at Tattersalls and was sold to the bloodstock agent Gill Richardson for 19,000 guineas. Nahoodh entered the ownership of Jaber Abdullah and was sent into training with Mick Channon at West Ilsley in Berkshire.

Racing career

2007: two-year-old season

Rather than beginning her racing career in a maiden race, Nahoodh made her debut in the Group Two Cherry Hinton Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse on 11 July and finished twelfth of the fourteen runners behind the Aidan O'Brien-trained You'resothrilling. She was dropped to maiden class for a contest at Ascot Racecourse later that month and started the 11/4 favourite against fifteen opponents. She struggled to obtain a clear run in the straight and although she finished strongly she finished third, beaten a head and a short head by Albabilia and Naomh Geileis. Nahoodh was moved back up to Group Two class for the Lowther Stakes at York Racecourse in which she was ridden by Jamie Spencer and started 15/2 fourth choice in the betting behind Visit, Fleeting Spirit and You'resothrilling. After being restrained by Spencer at the rear of the nine-runner field she was switched to the outside and began to make rapid progress in the last quarter mile. She overtook Fleeting Spirit a furlong out and held off a late challenge from Visit to win by half a length. The runner-up was later disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance. Spencer commented "She has loads of talent but wouldn't settle early. I went earlier than I normally would because you can get away with it on outsiders, and I took a chance".

2008: three-year-old season

rode Nahoodh in her first three races of 2008, starting with the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury Racecourse on 19 April in which she finished uplaced behind Muthabara. In the 1000 Guineas over the Rowley mile at Newmarket on 4 May he started a 33/1 outsider but belied her odds as she was beaten less than one and a half lengths into fifth place behind Natagora, Spacious, Saoirse Abu and Infallible. In the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh three weeks later she started favourite but after reaching fourth place in the straight she faded in the closing stages and finished seventh behind Halfway to Heaven. After the race the filly was acquired by Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and was transferred to the stable of Mark Johnston in Yorkshire.
Frankie Dettori took over from Hughes when Nahoodh contested the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. In a change of tactics she went to the front from the start but after being overtaken a furlong out she dropped from contention and finished sixth, seven lengths behind the winner Lush Lashes. Dettori was again in the saddle when Nahoodh was matched against older fillies and mares for the first time in the Group One Falmouth Stakes over one mile on soft ground at Newmarket's July course on 9 July. The five-year-old Heaven Sent started favourite ahead of Infallible, Finsceal Beo from Ireland, Seachange from New Zealand and Briseida from Germany with Nahoodh next in the betting on 10/1. The other five runners were Lady Gloria, Majestic Roi, Kasumi, Love of Dubai and the 100/1 outsider Hip. Nahoodh was held up by Dettori as Lady Gloria set the pace before giving way to Infallible in the last quarter mile. Nahoodh made rapid progress from the year, overtook Infallible a furlong out and won by one and a half lengths despite hanging to the left in the closing stages. Heaven Sent took third with a gap back to Seachange in fourth place. After the race Johnston said "They say one swallow doesn't make a summer but it does if it's big enough".
On 3 August Nahoodh was sent to France or the Prix Rothschild over 1600 metres at Deauville Racecourse and finished fourth behind Goldikova, Darjina and Natagora. In September Nahoodh was sent to Ireland for the Group One Matron Stakes at Leopardstown Racecourse and started 6/1 third favourite behind Lush Lashes and Halfway to Heaven. Ridden by Mick Kinane she raced in sixth place in the early stages before making steady progress in the straight and finished second by a neck to Lush Lashes in a closely contested finish with Halfway to Heaven and You'resothrilling close behind in third and fourth. Nahoodh failed to reproduce her best form in two subsequent races. She finished seventh behind Halfway to Heaven in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket in October and eighth behind Estejo in the Premio Roma in November.

Breeding record

At the end of her racing career Nahoodh was retired from racing to become a broodmare for Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stud. To date she has produced at least three foals and two winners: