Qatar’s horses compete for titles as action begins

Doha: Saint-Cloud Racecourse will host a race meeting this afternoon with the 10-race card including two Group 1 Purebred Arabian races sponsored by the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC). 

Qatari-owned runners will be vying for these two coveted trophies, which crown the champion three-year-old Purebred Arabian filly and colt in Europe and declare them the best of their generation. 

Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches

A total of 12 fillies will compete in the Gr1 PA Qatar Arabian Trophy for 3YO fillies over 2,000m. Qatari-owned horses have a bright record in this race and five holders of Qatari hopes will seek to maintain this excellence in 2022. 

Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari’s No Tear Al Maury (Jaafer ASF) will be ridden by Mickael Barzalona for trainer X. Thomas-Demeaulte. Al Shaqab Racing will be presented by both Mezown (Al MamunMonlau) and Nour Al Maury (Azadi). The former is trained by Mrs JF.Bernard and will be partnered by Ioritz Mendizabal while the latter is schooled by T. 

Fourcy and will have FalehBughenaim in the saddle. 

H H Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Al Doha (Al Mourtajez) will be another runner for T. Fourcy under Olivier Peslier. Her half-sister Alobayyah (Al Mourtajez) will carry the colours of Mohamed Bin Fahad Al Attiyah as another runner for X.Thomas -Demeaulte and will be guided by Christophe Soumillon. 

Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains

The other Gr1 PA contest will be for the boys with 15 three-year-old colts contesting in the Qatar Arabian Trophy for Colts. Six of these will carry the colours of Qatari owners in the 2,000m race. H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Anouar (Al Tair) will be ridden by Ronan Thomas for trainer J.de Mieulle. H H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Zamer ITY (Nizam) will be one of T.Fourcy’s trainees in this race and will be ridden by Maxime Guyon. 

Al Wasmiyah Racing’s (Al Ghadeer) (Al Mourtajez) will be accompanied by Christophe Soumillon for trainer F. Rohaut. 

The Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend-associated events kicked off with the annual horse auction for Purebred Arabians.

Another son of Al Mourtajez and trainee of T.Fourcyin the race will be Ska De L’aigle in the silks of Abdullah Bin Fahad Al Attiyah and under Jerome Cabre. 
Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Sowaidi’s Ramrod PY (Mu’azzaz), who is trained by P.Sogorb, will be steered by Faleh Al Bughenaim. Osama Omar Al Dafea’s Jenkille Hipolyte completes the Qatari challenge. The son of Al MamunMonlau is trained by Ch. Gourdain and will have Anthony Crastus astride. 

Qatar’s presence 

Following today’s races, attention will turn to the ParisLongchamp Racecourse, where the two days of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe will be held tomorrow and on Sunday. 

The latter will be the big day, hosting the two most important races in the weekend, namely the Gr1 PA Qatar Arabian World Cup and the Gr1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, which is simply the best horse race in the world. Qatari-owned horses will also be present in these two top races, seeking new victories and glory at ParisLongchamp. 

Horse Auction 

The Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend-associated events kicked off yesterday with  the annual horse auction for Purebred Arabians organised by the Arqana at Saint Cloud Racecourse in the presence of QREC senior management and a number of horse owners, both from Qatar and from other countries given the high value of the auction and the horses displayed there.