Bosra Sham

Woodman (USA) - Korveya (USA)

Foaled - 28/02/1993 Chestnut Mare

Runs: 10 Wins: 7 Places: 2 Earned: £580,793

Form: 11 / 11211 - 134

What can I say about this grand old girl except she was the one that started my (TJ) obsession with horse racing and especially my love affair with top class fillies way back when in 1996 when I saw her win the 1000 Guineas as a very impressionable 14yo. Y'know the phase - still into horses & ponies but just discovering guys exsist. It was love at first sight & despite all the top class horses (in our tjezjen opinion) that will follow on this blog Bosra remains my favourite of all.

Bosra Sham was bought for £530,000 as a yearling by Wafic Said at the 1994 Tattersalls sales being described as a jewel and a star prior to her turn in the sales ring, an accolade she went on to fulfill in such breathtaking fashion.

Bosra won seven of her ten starts; Fillies Mile Gr 1 Ascot, Fred Darling Gr 3 at Newbury, 1000 Guineas Gr 1 at Newmarket, Champion Stakes Gr 1 at Newmarket, Brigadier Gerard Stakes Gr 2 at Sandown and the Prince of Wales' Stakes Gr 1 which she won by a devastating 8 lengths (pictured below)

I'll always remember I was on holiday in Florida with my family when the Prince of Wales' was run & I made a frantic long distance phone call to my nana back in England to see how she'd faired! That's the effect she had on me.

However despite her brilliance I still can not hear her name & Im sure my co-ed's will agree with me on this without remembering the simply atrocious ride she was given in the Eclipse by a certain Kieran Fallon who I personally have never particularily liked & believe him to be rubbish - something my co-ed's will disagree with!

Co-ed Jez's note:- While I wholeheartedly agree with the passion this girl can feel for a cause I'd like to point out that we think K Fallon is one of the top jockeys of his generation & in no way do we want to be sued for her slanderous comments.

Co-ed Jen: She's right Jez it was a terrible ride & he has made similar mistakes in the past which he really should have learned from the first time so he can't be all that good.

Where Are They Now?

After her racing career Bosra went on to have four colt foals: Shami (by Rainbow Quest) who was owned by Godolphin for several seasons but only ever won two moderate h'caps. He is now owned & trained by David Chapman. Rosberg (by A P Indy) also owned by Godolphin but by their American operation. He won his maiden impressively by 5 lengths and was entered in the Kentucky Derby but sadly picked up an injury prior to the race & had to be withdrawn. Bosra's Valentine (by Sadler's Wells) owned by the Boursley Racing Syndicate is currently racing in Nad Al Sheba (Dubai) and Branded (by Singspiel) who Godolphin bought for the princely sum of £525,000 as a yearling. He is currently being trained in America and is highly regarded.

Sadly none of Bosra's progeny to date have reflected her brilliance and so in 2003 she too was unceremoniously shipped out to America where she was subsequently sold privately to Havana Horse Ltd. She still lives at the stud but has produced no more foals despite numerous attempts to cover her.

It breaks my heart to think this fantastic filly won't leave her mark on future generations but then nobody said breeding champions was easy.

Thanks for listening to my rambling guys :D

TJ