Qatar Arabian trophies up for grabs at Saint-Cloud

Paris: A day before the racing action shifts to a renovated Paris Longchamp, Saint-Cloud, near the French capital, will serve up a taster, including Purebred Arabian racing, today.

Ten horses will line up for the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains (Gr1 PA for 3yo colts) at Saint-Cloud today, while nine entries remain for the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches (Gr1 PA for 3yo fillies).

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani owned Marid and Neef will line up with Olivier Peslier and Pierre-Charles Boudot as their respective partners in the 2,000m race for the colts.

While Antoine de Watrigant-trained Marid won a Gr1 PA over the distance at Deauville on his last outing, it will be a step up for Didier Guillemin-schooled Neef, who had won a Gr3 at La Teste Buch over 1900m earlier in September. Thomas Fourcy will have Al Shaqab Racing’s Shalaa, who has run just once so far, in the race with talented Qatari jockey Faleh Bughanaim partnering the Dahess colt.

Didier Guillemin has Deryan in the race, while Damien de Watrigant has two entries — Bel’Izam and Sea Bird Al Maury.

Trainer Michal Borkowski has Sahm Al Khalediah, who has three victories in last five outings including a Polish Gr1, in the card, while GT Zoetelief has supplemented Probat T, a 1300m sprint winner in Duindigt, Netherlands.

In the 2,000m race for fillies, Fourcy has decided to take Al Shaqab Racing’s Gtnah out of the contention, while Borkowski has supplemented Awasef Al Khalediah.

The filly has two victories in Poland, including a Group II at Wroclaw over a mile from July, and will be making a debut in France today.

Fourcy still has another Al Shaqab Racing filly Al Haffanah, to be helmed by Julien Auge, and Douhha Al Cham, to be ridden by Jerome Cabre, in the race.

Al Haffanah has won her only outing in France, shedding her maiden status at La Teste Buch early August.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Adiba, fourth behind Al Haffanah, won her second outing at Mont de Marsan earlier in September and will have Peslier for company.

While it’s a step up for wards of Fourcy and Guillemin, it should throw up some interesting action today.

Ali Hamad Al Attiya-owned Mashael will line up for E. Mikhalides under Aurelien Lemaitre.

The race is also a step up for Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte Baseel, who has three victories from as many races, but none at the Group 1 level.