16quality horses entered in Qatar Arabian World Cup
Doha – mdmar
Less than two weeks before the 2019 renewal of the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1/PA) kicks off, the entries of the 2000-metre race for four-year-old and older pure Arabians have been published. 16 quality horses, including the 2017 winner, Gazwan, and black type winners, have been entered in the € 1 million race to be hosted at ParisLonchamp, only 40 minutes before the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe race, on Sunday, 6 October. Ten of the entries are for Qatari connections.
The list includes a trio owned and bred by HH Sheik Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani. The Alban De Mieulle-trained TAYF finished second in his last two outings; a listed mile race at Baden Baden earlier this month and the mile-long (Group 1 PA) Qatar International Stakes at Goodwood in July. However, the seven-year-old grey son of AMER won the (Group 1 PA)UAE Cup at the same course (ParisLonchamp) and distance (2000 metres) in May. He finished nearer last than first in the Qatar Arabian World Cup last year. Another De Mieulle’s charge, YAZEED, was a winner when was last called out. The six-year-old grey son of MUNJIZ won the (Group 1 PA) Qatar Gold Sword over the same distance at Al Rayyan Park, Doha, in April. He finished fifth in the Qatar Arabian World Cup last year.
The Antoine de Watrigant-trained MARID finished second last time and that was in the (Group 1 PA) Doha Cup over the same distance at Deauville in August. The last win of the four-year-old grey colt of TM FRED TEXAS was in October 2018 when he landed the (Group 1 PA) Qatar Arabian Trophy Des Poulains over the same distance at Saint-Cloud.
Another trio are owned by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani and trained by Julian Smart. GAZWAN, was the winner of Qatar Arabian World Cup in 2017 and he finished fourth in 2018. The eight-year-old grey son of AMER won the (Group 1 PA) Shadwell Dubai International Stakes over the same distance at Newbury in July when he was last seen. EBRAZ finished third in the Qatar Arabian World Cup in 2018. The six-year-old grey son of AMER won his last outings. He won the (Group 3 PA)Shadwell – Coupe Du Sud-Ouest Des Pur-Sang Arabes over 1900 metres at La teste Buch and the mile-long (Group 1 PA) Qatar International Stakes at Goodwood in July. MAXR finished third when he was last seen and that was in Prix Kann over 2100 metres at Dax this month. His latest win was in a 2400-metre race in Doha when he broke his maiden tag in March.
A third trio are owned by Al Shaqab Racing and trained by Thomas Fourcy. KHATTAB was the runner-up in the Qatar Arabian World Cup last year. He was last seen at Deauville when he finished third in the (Group 1 PA) Doha Cup over the same distance at Deauville in August. The latest win of the seven-year-old grey son of AMER was at Toulouse when he won the (Group 2 PA) Prix De Carthage – Hannibal over 2000 metres. KAIR AL CHAM remained unbeaten in his last three outings. The four-year-old grey colt of DAHESS won a mile race at Royan in June, a 2000-metre race at Newbury and finally a Group 3 (PA) 2000-metre contest at Duindigt earlier this month. MELABI finished second last time and that was in the (Group 1 PA) President of UAE Cup over the same distance at Doncaster earlier this month. His latest win was in May when the four-year-old grey colt of DAHESS won the Prix Aicha over 2300 metres at Dax.
Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Attiyah’s RODESS DU LOUP finished sixth in the 2018 edition of the Qatar Arabian World Cup. The Charles Gourdain five-year-old grey son of DAHESS finished fourth in his last outing; a listed mile race at Baden Baden earlier this month. His record includes being the runner up of the (Group 1) Doha Cup at Deauville and the winner of the (Group 1 PA) President of the UAE Cup at Doncaster over the same distance in August and September 2018 respectively.
The other six entered horses include three who won their last outings, and are considered very strong contenders, and three who were placed when they were last seen. The P. Collington-trained MASHHUR AL KHALEDIAH who won a listed mile race comfortably in front of TAYF and RODESS DU LOUP at Baden Baden earlier this month. The LandgoedWaterland-owned and Karen Van Den Bos-trained AKOYA won the (Group 1 PA) Qatar Cup over 2000 metres at ParisLonchamp earlier this month. In his previous outing, the five-year-old bay AKOYA landed that the Group 1 (PA) Qatar Cup at Deauville in August when he got the better of MARID, KATTAB and DERYAN, who finished second, third and fourth respectively and seek to reverse the places at ParisLonchamp on 6 October. The Polska AKF SP. Z.O.O.-owned and M. Kacprzyk-trained SALAM AL KHALEDIAH won a Group 3 (PA) event over 2600 metres at Varsovie in August.
The Jean-Marc De Watrigant-owned and D. Watrigant-trained AHZAR finished fourth in the Group 2 (PA) French Arabian Breeders’ Challenge Sprint over 1400 metres at Bdx Le Bouscat last week. The D. Guillemin-trained DERYAN finished fourth in the (Group 1 PA) Doha Cup over the same distance at Deauville in August. The only female in the entries is the RMP SP ZOO-owned and M. Janikowski-trained GENERAL LADY, who finished third in the (Group 1 PA) Qatar Cup the same distance at ParisLonchamp earlier this month.
Given the names and the records of these horses doubled with the fact that many, if not all, of them are facing each other gain, the 2019 renewal of the Qatar Arabian World Cup will be definitely a highly thrilling contest.
