Besides being a champion horse – he won nine of his thirteen starts – Amer is the most influential stallion in Arabian horseracing history. With a current stud fee of USD60,000, the grey horse from the deserts of Arabia has sired more than 130 champions. Yet Amer’s extraordinary story is almost unbelievable for many, who speculate as to the legitimacy of his legacy. Amer was not registered with the World Arabian Horse Organisation when he arrived in Qatar, and some speak of illicit “connections” that are behind his registration. Others believe he is not purebred, and that his hybrid status gave him and his progeny their superiority. In his defence, however, supporters of Amer say that while he was a great racehorse, his greater success and reputation came when he became a stallion and was mated with Arabian horses from a different line.