HAMDAN Al Maktoum has extended his roster of trainers in Britain by sending horses to the Newmarket-based pair, William Haggas and Michael Jarvis for the first time.
Near neighbours on the town’s busy Fordham Road, Haggas and Jarvis are to receivearound ten horses each, which will be a mixture of two-year-olds and yearlings.
The leading Dubai-based owner already has his stock with John Dunlop, Barry Hills, Ed Dunlop, Sir Michael Stoute, Marcus Tregoning and John Gosden but has been forced to re-shuffle his pack after the death of Alec Stewart and recent retirement of Ben Hanbury and Neil Graham.
Angus Gold, racing manager to the Derby-winning owner-breeder, said: “Sheikh Hamdan is to have horses in training with both William Haggas and Michael Jarvis for the first time in 2005. Following the sad death of Alec Stewart and retirement of Ben and Neil, Sheikh Hamdan was keen to have some new trainers on board.”
Gold added: “As he is based in Newmarket in the summer, it makes sense to have more horses in training there. Both trainers will receive around ten each, some of which will be reallocated from elsewhere and others will be yearlings.”
Haggas, himself a Derby winner with Shaamit in 1996, said: “I’m thrilled to have been approached by Sheikh Hamdan and I hope we can form a strong and successful association.
“It is the first time I have been asked to train for the Maktoum family and I think it is a great reflection on everyone’s hard work here at Somerville Lodge. We have two two-year-olds already in and they are looking forward to the others arriving in the fullness of time.”
Jarvis, who already trains for Hamdan’s brothers, Sheikh Mohammed and Ahmed al Maktoum, said: “I’m very pleased to be training for Sheikh Hamdan. I have always had a good association with the Maktoum family and have trained for many years for Sheikh Ahmed and, latterly, Sheikh Mohammed.”
He added: “Three two-year-olds have already arrived and they look nice prospects for next year.”
