'It's asking a lot to get three out of the same mare but he's started on the right track' - Baaeed's brother Raaheeb makes perfect Ascot debut

Sheikh Hissa's presence with a large Shadwell entourage on a quiet Friday afternoon at Ascot was some indication as to the importance of Raaheeb to her operation as her regally-bred two-year-old made the perfect racecourse introduction.

This autumn will see the first yearlings by Raaheeb's Sea The Stars brother Baaeed take to the sales ring after a career of sustained quality in which he landed six Group 1 wins on the bounce.

It will be almost impossible for this youngster to live up to such feats and there is additional expectation as his other older brother is Hukum, also now in residence as a stallion after moving to Japan. He landed the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at this same track two years ago. 

The suggestion afterwards was Raaheeb is more in the mould of Hukum, which is perhaps why he is based with the same trainer, Owen Burrows. However, he is off the mark in the quickest fashion of the trio, as Baaeed did not run at two and Hukum left it until mid-November as a juvenile.

A lengthy individual who was sent off the 7-4 favourite over seven furlongs in the Charbonnel et Walker British EBF Maiden Stakes, Raaheeb moved noticeably easily for Jim Crowley throughout to come home a length and a quarter clear.

"He was much more excited here than at home was a quote from Owen," said Sheikha Hissa.

Sheikha Hissa after Raaheeb's win Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"One step at a time. We have the brothers and we'll see how it goes but this is a great start for us."

Angus Gold, Shadwell's racing manager, added: "You don't need me to tell you what a funny summer it has been for everybody and hardly a horse on the grass at all so he was just ready for a run, Owen said, and always was waiting for a bit of ground - this was just the perfect opportunity.

"He was a bit of a baby before, a bit noisy when he first arrived on the track. He settled down well, Jim said he tripped a couple of times walking out onto the course he was so relaxed. So very nice to see him go and do that and he galloped right past the line."

The brothers are out of the Listed-winning Kingmambo mare Aghareed and trace back to Height Of Fashion, the foundation mare for Sheikh Hissa's late father, Hamdan Al Maktoum, and who produced his masterpiece Nashwan. The Sea The Stars / Kingmambo cross has now produced 26 winners from 33 runners and the cohort is headed by nine stakes winners, seven Group scorers and five elite-level winners. 

"He's always looked more the staying type of horse, he's always physically been much more of a Hukum-type than a Baaeed," Gold continued. "He's a bigger, scopier horse than Baaeed, so I'm sure middle distances will be his game next year and it's lovely to start like that.

"It's asking a lot to get three out of the same mare but he's started on the right track anyway. We'll just see how he comes out of it. It would one nice to get another run in this year if we could and Jim said he loved that [soft] ground."

Owner George Waud greets El Vamos and Billy Loughnane after their successCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

There was another exciting two-year-old to come in the following mile event, the Wesco Anixter EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes. El Vamos was a big investment for owner George Waud, a film producer who has been expanding his racing interests, and was bought for 420,000gns by Sam Haggas of Hurworth Bloodstock at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

The daughter of the quietly-impressing first-season sire St Mark's Basilica was bred by Woodnook Farm and is a half-brother to the Listed-placed Stop The Cavalry. Trained by George Boughey, she showed a striking turn of foot to fly right away from her rivals.

"George said it was the first day at school, see how she takes to the racing – that was impressive," Waud said. "It was hands and heels all the way and I'm absolutely thrilled. It's my first winner at Ascot and it's very, very special.

"I'll leave it up to the trainer but I'm quite happy because I've just bought another St Mark's Basilica filly, so hopefully she's as good as that one!"

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