On Day 2 of Qatar Goodwood Festival
Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari’s LADY PRINCESS retains title of Qatar International Stakes
Baaeed wins Qatar Sussex Stakes
In presence of H. E. Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Qatar Olympic Committee, the events of the Qatar Goodwood Festival continued on Wednesday, 27 July at the Goodwood Racecourse, UK. The five-day Festival will continue up to Saturday, 30 July. H. E. Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani crowned the winners of the second day’s most prestigious races; the Gr1 PA Qatar International Stakes and the Gr1Qatar Sussex Stakes. Present at the events of the day were H.E. Fahad Bin Mohammed Al Attiyah Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Kingdom, H.E. Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Thani Bin Khalid Al Thani CEO of Qatar Media Corporation, H.E. Issa Bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi Chairman of QREC, Hamad Bin Abdulrahman Al Attiya Vice Chairman of QREC and Chairman of the Asian Racing Federation, Khalifa Bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah QREC Board Member and Al Shaqab Executive Director, Ahmad Bin Mohammed Alabdulmalik QREC Board Member, Essa Al Hitmi General Manager of Al Kass Sports Channels, Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi QREC Racing Manager and Hesham Mohammed Al Ali Director of QREC Chairman Office and Manager of QREC Marketing Department.
The second day of the 2022 renewal of the Festival had an eight-race card and the start was a with a massive Qatari victory when the Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari-owned LADY PRINCESS (General x Nacree Al Maury) retained the title of the Group 1 PA Qatar International Stakes for the second consecutive year. With this victory under her belt, Lady Princess now boasts an incredible record of four consecutive, and a total of eight, group one victories in addition to her other high-profile victories. She also managed to keep the title Qatari for the fourth year in a row.
Following this win H. E. Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani presented the trophies to the winners. Abdulla Bin Hezam Al Saaq received the owner’s trophy on behalf of Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari.
Lady Princess defends Qatar International Stakes
The richest Arabian race on the British racing calendar, the Gr.1 (PA) Qatar International Stakes worth £400,000 in prizemoney produced yet another thrilling finish and went the way of the Lady Princess.
The French trained six-year-old has been masterfully handled by leading Arabian trainer Thomas Fourcy. Now an eight-time Gr.1 (PA) winner Lady Princess travelled ominously well throughout the 1,600m contest and was produced to perfection by jockey Jim Crowley, despite a moment of panic just inside the 200m pole.
Set off towards the rear in her habitual fashion, the talented six-year-old kept close tabs with her chief rivals Samlla (Assy), owned by HE Sheikha Reem Bint Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani, and Hattal (Mahabb). Lady Princess sliced through the field with ease once in the straight but met trouble inside the closing stages. Trying to pounce between Hattal and Samlla, Lady Princess was briefly sandwiched but once in the clear she cruised to an impressive eighth top-flight success. Hattal took second, while Samlla cracked close home and finished third.
Bred by Earl du Champ Ginioux and Mrs. Elodie Bellaud, Lady Princess is by multiple Group One winner General (Amer) and is out of Group Three winner Nacre Al Maury (Kesberoy), who also produced Group One winner and stallion Mister Ginoux.
Baaeed takes unbeaten count to nine
The world’s highest-rated racehorse Baaeed (Sea the Stars x Aghareed) remains unbeaten and carried the colours of Shadwell Estate Company Ltd to his ninth successive victory when taking the Gr.1 Qatar Sussex Stakes.
H. E. Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani presented the trophies to the winners after the race.
Trained in Newmarket by William Haggas, the four-year-old entire took his fifth Gr.1 success in the £1,000,000 contest. Ridden by Jim Crowley, who also took the Gr.1 Qatar International Stakes earlier on the same card with Lady Princess (General), Baaeed took on six rivals for the summer showpiece.
Held up in mid-division in the 1,600m race set alight by the Japanese raider Bathrat Leon (Kizuna), Baaeed made a swooping move around the field on the run down the hill. Matching strides with Modern Games (Dubawi), Baaeed moved through to lead inside the closing stages and quickened clear to score by one- and three-quarter lengths. Modern Games took second, while Alcohol Free (No nay Never) last year’s winner, who was unlucky in running, claimed third.
The winning trainer William Haggas said after the race
“Baaeed is a fantastic racehorse, and we are lucky to have him”, said the winning trainer William Haggas said after the race, “We have him for two more runs after today and then he is likely to head off to stud. I don’t think we need to go for the Arc with him, but he will certainly step up to ten furlongs (2,000m).”
A Shadwell Estate homebred, the exceptional four-year-old is out of the Listed winner, Aghareed (Kingmambo). He is a brother to two winners, including Hukum (Sea The Stars) winner of the Gr.1 Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs. The second dam, Lahudood (Singspiel) won both the Gr.1 Breeders Cup Fillies and Mares Turf and the Gr.1 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park. She was awarded Champion Turf Female in the USA in 2007.
Source: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club