[Republished] Stallions at Al Basel – Basil, a son of Mahrous
I was sorry to hear about the passing of Majd, the bay Kuhaylan Hayfi stallion whose picture i recently posted. While visiting the Al Basel government stud in Syria, Majd’s sire was introduced. He is an imposing grey of good size, and his name is Basil [Mahrous x Halah]. He is of the Kuhaylan Mimrah strain and is bred by Mustapha Al Jabri. He is a horse of great quality and has a wonderful nobility which reminds me of that sense of quiet, confident, but strong diginity akin to a great war horse. The Blue Star stallion Muhairon (Sirecho x *Muhaira) was very much like this. [askterisks are used to denote imported to North America.] I wish I had more photos of Basil but the one here is descriptive of his quality which shows great proportions, leg quality and wonderfully shaped ears, a true Bedu charger to be proud of.
-Joe Ferriss
This stallion, Basil, which I first saw in Damascus in 1989 (he was on lease then) then in Aleppo on regular visits, before he was given by his breeder Mustafa Jabri to the Syrian Al Basel Government Stud, is arguably one of the best sons of Mahrous, who was discussed in an earlier entry.
The maternal grandsire of Mahrous is the Saqlawi Marzaqani stallion “Abu Kitf”, a major desert-bred stud with the Shammar Bedouins.
Basil’s dam, Halah, a Kuhaylah Mimrahiyah was the daughter of a Kuhaylan Nawwaq stallion, whose maternal grandsire was also “Abu Kitf” [it does not show on the Syrian Studbook pedigrees].
So Basil carries two close crosses to that great stallion, and that influence is visible.
Sorry you didn’t have more pictures, Joe. From what I can see of this stallion, he is the kind I’ve always liked, and wished we had more of in this country. A horse that looks like a horse, of course.
Basil is the most influential stallion in Syrian modern pedigrees.
His best son ,in my opinion is Beebars x Soorah
Soorah combines the best racing pedigree in Asil horses She is by Fawaz whos has 4 crosses to the famous Krush Halba ,bought by the Turkish commission from Lebanon in 1932/33 when he was 16 years at the fabulous sum of 200 gold pounds.
and Layali al Sham who is by Abjar inbred to the great race horse “Guzeil” winner of 7 races in the row at the age of 3 beating the best horses at the Beirut race track.
I’m lucky to own “Al Bark” a son of Beebars who is our head stallion.
In 1995 I shot Basil in video ,that I could gladly send to Edouard if I only knew how!
WOW. Don’t have much else to say but surely would guess he is a powerhouse when moving.