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2022 Breeding Special Zayin Arabians
Paul Simmons at Zayin Arabian Stud Paul Simmons’s Zayin Arabian Stud is set in around 20 acres of rolling Exmoor countryside. He became involved in Arabian racing in 1999, just at the time the Arabian Racing Organisation was formed and has since been involved at all levels, from competing and breeding, to serving on the board of ARO Directors. He has also been bloodstock consultant to the late HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s W’rsan Stables in the UAE. Owner-breeder (and sometime trainerjockey) Simmons purchased two mares, Aliesha, “a bit mad and not too talented” and Sweet Simplicity in 1998. He had always held dreams of owning, training and riding his own racehorses and quickly realised his dream on Sweet Simplicity when they won the Heart of England
Maiden Stakes in 1999. It remains his only win as a jockey and trainer and little did he realise at the time, that it would be a ten year wait until he won again. Though he has had more winners/prize money in previous years (eg 2016 with three wins and 24 places for £10,738), the 2021 season saw Zayin Arabians best ever placing in the leading owners’ table, when finishing runner-up to Shadwell Estates. Considering his 22-year journey to this point, Simmons says: “It’s ironic that for several years when I fielded big teams of five horses, all of which were well handicapped, the best placing I managed was fourth in the Owners Championship in 2015. So I didn’t really give it much thought last year with just two horses!”
THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
