Under the patronage and in presence of H.H. the Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the H.H. The Amir Sword Festival concluded on Saturday, 18 February at QREC Al Rayyan racecourse. H.H. The Amir crowned the winners of the last four races of the eight-race card and honoured the sponsors of the Festival. HE Issa Bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, QREC Chairman, and Hamad Bin Abdulrahman Al Attiyah were present during the trophy presentation ceremony.
Abbes land the Gold Sword for Wathnan Racing
Qatar’s biggest race, the HH The Amir Sword, saw another Qatari-owned hero take the spoils as the Wathnan Racing’s Abbes (FR) (TM Fred Texas x Raqiyah) sped clear in the closing stages of the feature race to win by two and a half lengths, land the Sword for the champion trainer Alban de Mieulle and jockey Mickael Barzalona and put the perfect finishing touches on a fantastic few days’ racing. The Khalifa Bin Sheail KH J Al Kuwari-owned and Francois Rohaut-trained Moshrif was second under jockey Ryan Moore. The H.E. Sheikha Reem Bint Mohamed Bin Khalifa Al-Thani-owned and Thomas Fourcy-trained Hoggar De L’Ardus finished third under jockey Maxime Guyon.
Big win for connections from Hong Kong
The Gr 1 HH The Amir Trophy saw the connections from Hong Kong land the spoils as the Mike Cheung Shun Ching-owned and Douglas Whyte-trained Russian Emperor (IRE) (Galileo x Atlantic Jewel) got the better of a strong international challenge to take the biggest thoroughbred prize in Qatar by half a length under the talented Italian jockey Alberto Sanna in the penultimate race. The Godolphin-owned and Charlie Appleby-trained Warren Point was second under jockey William Buick. The Wathnan Racing-owned and Alban de Mieulle-trained Bolthole finished third under jockey Ronan Thomas.
Silver Sword goes to Abdullah Bin Fahad Al Attiyah
Abdullah Bin Fahad Al Attiyah’s Ska De L’Aigle (FR) (Al Mourtajez x Sia) was a good winner of the HH The Amir Silver Sword for 4YO Purebred Arabians. The Francois Rohaut-trained colt cruised and when asked for an effort, he responded generously, staying on well to win the sixth race, a 1850m run, by a length and a quarter, giving jockey Andrea Atzeni a second winner on the big day. The Eng. Osama Omer E Al-Dafea-owned and Charles Henri Gourdain-trained Jenkille Hipolyte was second under jockey Ronan Thomas. The Mohammed Bin Fahad A H Al Attiya-owned and Francois Rohaut -trained Al Riffaa was third under jockey Maxime Guyon.
King Pacha wins Shalfa
The HH The Amir Shalfa, a Thoroughbred Open Handicap (85 and Up) for 4YO+ over 2000m, served up a finish to savour with several horses dashing towards the finish line in the fifth race, but Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari’s King Pacha (IRE) (Acclamation x Regina Mundi) was very game and pulled out extra to win by a quarter of a length for trainer Gassim Ghazali, who saddled the first two home, and jockey Mickael Barzalona. The Mansoor Ebrahim S I Al-Mahmoud-owned and Gassim Ghazali-trained Semper Augustus was the runner up under jockey Maxime Guyon. The Abdulatif Hussain M Z Al-Emadi-owned and Bader Al Balushi-trained Pazeer was third under jockey David Egan.
Order of Australia wins the opener
Kicking off the biggest meeting of the year, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Order of Australia (IRE) (Australia x Senta’s Dream) won the opener, the QA Gr2 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup nicely for owners D Smith, J Magnier, M Tabor and A M O’Brien. The Irish raider was given a brilliant ride by jockey Ryan Moore to win the 1600m contest for 4YO+ Thoroughbreds by half a length.
Charles O’Neill, CEO of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM), crowned the winners.
Qatar international Cup flew to Al Jeryan Stud
The Gr 1 Qatar international Cup for 4YO+ Purebred Arabians saw Al Jeryan Stud’s homebred AJS Saaeq (QA) (AF Albahar x Sahab Al Zaeem) prevail over a strong field in the second race. The M.H.K. Al Attiyah-trained 5YO emerged victorious by two lengths under jockey Szczepan Mazur in the 1600m race.
Hassan Yousef Al Obaidly, Head of Program’s Research and Evaluation Section of the Social & Sport Contribution Fund (Daam), crowned the winners.
Flaming Rib wins Dukhan Sprint
The Gr 3 Dukhan Sprint was won in good fashion by the Dale Dolan Dooley Owen-owned Flaming Rib (IRE) (Ribchester x Suddenly), who proved the fastest in the field int the third race and gave trainer Hugo Palmer a winner on the day. Oisin Murphy rode the 4YO colt to take the 1200m contest for 3YO+ Thoroughbreds by three quarters of a length.
Representing the International Racing Bureau (IRB), Adrian Beaumont crowned the winners.
Al Wasmiyah victorious in Al Rayyan Mile
There was an exciting battle to the finish in the Gr2 Al Rayyan Mile for 3YO Thoroughbreds and it was the Al Wasmiyah Stud, G Bailey and N Wrigley-owned Alzahir (FR) (Sea The Stars x Cup Cake) who pulled out more for jockey Andrea Atzeni, seeing off his main rival Kerindia (IRE) (Cotai Glory) by a head in the fourth race for trainers John and Thady Gosden.
H.E. Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, QREC Chairman, crowned the winners.
Source: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club