NATIVE KHAN's Turkish owners, Vefa Ibrahim Araci and his daughter, Pinar, cannot wait for Saturday's Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, and both of them admit that they are "œliving the dream".
It was less than 11 months ago that Gifted Apakay provided the Aracis with their first success as owners when scoring on the Polytrack at Lingfield, and now here they are going into battle with Sheikh Mohammed and Coolmore for their first Group 1.
The Aracis have already been active at the bloodstock sales and their purchases for Ed include a 235,000gns son of Cape Cross, so they have clearly been bitten by the racing bug and acknowledge that they are very lucky to have got a horse of the ability of Native Khan so early on.
Pinar said "We came to England in 1997 and I completed my University degree at Reading, but we have since moved back to Turkey, where since 2008 we have had a stud farm at Izmit, where we have 55 horses "" broodmares, yearlings, foals etc."
"œIt was Caroline Green who recommended Ed when she heard that we were looking for someone to train our horses in Britain, and we immediately took to Ed and have been very happy with him. We have five horses with him as well as the yearlings we have just purchased for next season, and we also have another five back in Turkey."
"œWe have been lucky buying at the Breeze-Up Sales as both Native Khan and Gifted Apakay came via that route. Native Khan winning at Newmarket's July meeting was very special as, besides my father, who owns a group of industrial companies in Turkey, my mother and sister were also there, and if that was not exciting enough we were then all at Sandown, where he gave us our first Group winner in the Solario Stakes."
"œWhen we were looking for a name for Native Khan we thought long and hard as it was important to get the right one. Native Khan is the translation of my grandfather's name. He was truly a great man and was loved by all, and it is only fitting that the horse we named after him is looking pretty special, too. This has been an unbelievable year "" we also recently celebrated our first winner in Turkey, a home-bred (Haafhd "" Enhance) who romped home by six lengths "" and it would be wonderful if our luck could carry through until Saturday."
"œWe had considered the Dewhurst, especially as October 16 was the anniversary of my grandfather's death, but Ed felt that the ground might be too soft and maybe the opposition too strong, so we decided to wait for Doncaster, and now we all have our fingers crossed. Looking ahead, perhaps the dream will continue through the winter and, being French-bred, obviously the Prix Jockey-Club at Chantilly looks tempting with the premiums it carries, but Native Khan has also been entered for The Curragh and he might prove to be a Guineas horse as well as one for the Derby. It's all so very exciting."
Horses have been a part of Pinar's life since she was nine, and she always rode out whenever she could and also owned a showjumper in England as well as working in livery yards in her spare time. "œNow we are hooked on racing "" I have 18 yearlings at home and am preparing them for the Sales in December, and my father and I have also been to Goffs, Tattersalls and Arqana. You could say that we have become racing addicts "" we cannot stay away," she added with infectious enthusiasm.