Kalamoun

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Kalamoun
SireZeddaan
Grandsire
Grey
BreederAga Khan IV
OwnerAga Khan IV
TrainerFrançois Mathet
Record10: 4-4-0
Major wins
Poule d'Essai des Poulains (1973)
Prix Lupin (1973)
Prix Jacques Le Marois (1973)
Awards
Timeform rating 129 (1973)

Kalamoun (30 April 1970 – 7 February 1979) was a British-bred, French-trained

Observer Gold Cup and the Prix Thomas Bryon. In the following year he emerged as one of the best colts of his generation in France, recording Group One victories the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Prix Lupin and Prix Jacques Le Marois
. He was retired at the end of the season and became a successful breeding stallion in a brief stud career.

Background

Kalamoun was a grey horse with a white

King's Stand Stakes. Palariva was a granddaughter of Mumtaz Begum, whose other descendants included Nasrullah (horse), Royal Charger, Shergar and Risen Star.[2]

During his racing career, Kalamoun was very dark in colour, although, like all greys, he lightened as he aged.[3] The Aga Khan sent his colt into training with the veteran François Mathet at Chantilly. Kalamoun was ridden in most of his races by Henri Samani.

Racing career

1972: two-year-old season

Kalamoun began his racing career by finishing second over 1600 metres and then won a minor race over the same distance. He was then sent to England and moved up sharply in class to contest the

Observer Gold Cup over one mile at Doncaster Racecourse in October and finished fourth behind Noble Decree, Ksar and Stanleyville. On his return to France he contested the Group Three Prix Thomas Bryon over 1500 metres at Saint-Cloud Racecourse and finished second to Targowice.[4]

1973: three-year-old season

On his three-year-old debut, Kalamoun started at odds of

Grand Critérium). Three weeks later Kalamoun met African Sky and Satingo again and started the 4.4/1 fourth choice in the betting for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains over the same course and distance. Restrained by Samani in the early stages, he turned into the straight eight lengths behind the leaders before producing a strong late run. Kalamoun took the lead in the closing stages and drew away to win by two lengths with the outsider Bally Game taking second ahead of Satingo and African Sky. The colt was then moved up in distance for the Group One Prix Lupin over 2100 metres on 13 May in which he was matched against the outstanding filly Allez France and the Prix Greffulhe winner Roi Lear. As in his previous race, the colt was held up at the back of the field before making rapid progress in the straight. He took the lead approaching the last 200 metres and won by one and a half lengths from Palikare with Roi Lear third and Allez France in seventh. On 3 June Kalamoun attempted to win his third consecutive Group One race when he was stepped up to 2400 metres for the Prix du Jockey Club on heavy ground at Chantilly Racecourse. He started second favourite but after challenging for the lead in the straight he tired to finish seventh, two lengths behind the winner Roi Lear.[4]

For his last two races Kalamoun was brought back in distance to compete over 1600 metres. On 12 August at

Prix du Moulin at Longchamp on 7 October and started the 1/2 favourite. Freddy Head replaced Samani as the colt's jockey, whilst Sparkler was ridden by Lester Piggott. Early in the straight, Sparkler accelerated clear of the field and although Kalamoun made steady progress he was never able to challenge the leader and finished second, beaten two lengths. Timeform felt that Head had ridden an "ill-judged race".[4]

Assessment

In 1973, the independent Timeform organisation gave Kalamoun a rating of 129, seven pounds inferior to their top-rated three-year-old Thatch.[5] In their annual Racehorses of 1973 described him as "the best colt of his age in France at distances up to a mile and a quarter".[4]

Stud record

Before his last race, shares in Kalamoun were offered at a reported price of £25,000, giving him a theoretical value of £1 million.[4] He was retired to the Aga Khan's Ballymany stud at the end of the 1973 season to begin his career as a breeding stallion. He was at stud for only five years and died on 7 February 1979. He had fertility problems towards the end of his life, siring only fifteen foals in his final season.[6] His notable offspring included:

Pedigree

Pedigree of Kalamoun (GB), grey stallion, 1970[1]
Sire
Zeddaan (GB)
1965 		Grey Sovereign (GB)
1948 		Nasrullah Nearco
Mumtaz Begum
Kong Baytown
Clang
Vareta (FR)
1953 		Vilmorin Gold Bridge
Queen of the Meadows
Veronique Mon Talisman
Volubilis
Dam
Khairunissa (GB)
1960 		Prince Bio (FR)
1941 		Prince Rose Rose Prince
Indolence
Biologie Bacteriophage
Eponge
Palariva (GB)
1953 		Palestine Fair Trial
Una
Rivaz Nearco
Mumtaz Begum (Family 9-c)[2]
  • Kalamoun was inbred 4 x 4 to Nearco and Mumtaz Begum, meaning that these horses appeared twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

References

  1. ^ a b "Kalamoun pedigree". Equineline. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
  2. ^ a b "Crab Mare – Family 9-c". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  3. ^ "Kalamoun". 3 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e Timeform staff (1974). Racehorses of 1973. Timeform.
  5. ISBN 0-85112-902-1
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 0-900599-35-9
    .
  7. ISBN 0-900599-27-8
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 0-900599-31-6
    .
  9. ISBN 0-900599-29-4
    .
  10. ISBN 0-900599-33-2
    .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kalamoun&oldid=1170918495"