Exciting field set for a vintage renewal of Qatar International Stakes
–Mdmar – QREC-England
Photo credits: Debbie Burt
The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) was delighted to see some of the world’s very best Arabians among the 21 horses entered in the Qatar International Stakes (Gr1PA), as part of the Qatar Goodwood Festival. Following the close of declarations today, they are excited to find that the race promises to be another vintage renewal.The 11runner field includes two of the world’s leading older horses in Ebraz and Tayf, who will take on two of the leading younger horses in Deryan and Lady Princess. It is no surprise that despite the international challenges presented by Covid, they have been attracted to the £400,000 mile contest sponsored by Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC), run as the opening race on Wednesday 28 July. Since its inauguration in 2015, the race is the most valuable in UK Arabian racing and the most valuable over that distance for Arabians in Europe.
Ebraz winner of Qatar International Stakes at Goodwood for a second time in 2020ridden by Maxime Guyon
Four of the first five homein the 2020editionall re-oppose and whilstthe Sussex course’s mile is famous for its thoroughbred ‘Duel on the Downs’, Arabian racing has its own, with Ebraz facing Tayf for a fifth consecutive time. Tayf won the first round in 2017 by a nose, and since then Ebraz has had the upper hand, finishing second to Muraaqib in 2018, winning the last two and now bids for a record-breaking hat-trick in the race. However since last August, Tayf has bested Ebaz in Paris’s Qatar Arabian World Cup and in the Qatar Gold Sword, both top level contests over 1m2f.
To add further intrigue, the small, but mighty three-time Group 1PA winner Lady Princess is making her UK debut. She has recentform with both horses from Qatar’s premier race the 1m4f HH The Amir Sword. That contest produced a one-two for stablemates Mon’nia and Ebraz, but Lady Princess was less than a length behind in third, with Tayf over six lengths away in fourth. She will again benefit from her mares’ allowance, which coupled with her electric turn of foot, could prove decisive over this shorter trip.
Also making the journey from France is Deryan. The world’s top-rated Arabian on Dirt, he now has to prove he is worthy of that rating on Turf, as split ratings do not apply in the international classifications. Deryan came into this race last year on the back of his first Group 1PA win at Deauville and though he travelled well throughout, he had to concede the win to Ebraz by just under two lengths, with Tayf only a nose behind him in third. Since then, he caught the eye when fifth in the Obaiya Classic at the Saudi Cup, before cementing his position at the top of the international rankings with a superb win in the Dubai Kahayla Classic on World Cup night at Meydan.
An additional dimension to the race will be that the majority of the international runners will have new partners. HH Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani’s Tayf has always been the mount of Olivier Peslier at Goodwood, though Ronan Thomas, who has ridden him to win in Qatar, including in the Gold Sword, flew in for quarantine to secure the ride. Ebraz has been successful for a number of partners, though his two wins here have been for Maxime Guyon. This year HE SheikhaReem Bint Mohammed Bin KhalifaAl Thani’s imposing grey will have nine times UAE Champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea aboard. O’Shea who is no stranger to Arabians, is excited to be offered the ride and last rode in the blue and white stars in the race in 2015. Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari’s Lady Princess has almost exclusively been ridden by either Julien Augé or Christophe Soumillon, but will have Oisin Murphy in the saddle on Wednesday. Murphy has had several Arabian rides in the UK this season, but has also ridden them in the Gulf, finishing second in the 2018 Kahayla Classic on Chaddad.
Of course for those outside of Arabian racing, the most eye-catching booking will be that for Deryan.YAS Racing’s young star is usually partnered by Ioritz Mendizabal, but he will have the benefit of Frankie Dettori at the helm, currently on a roll of three consecutive Longines world’s best jockey titles, among his numerous accolades. Dettori is an infrequent partner of the original racehorse, but has ridden the likes of Al Mamun Monlau in the Kahayla Classic and is definitely no stranger to success at Goodwood.
Whilst The UK challenge might not be of quite the same lofty standard, it is headed by its highest rated horse Al Kaaser, who will be flying the flag for syndicates in UK Arabian racing and making his debut for new leaseholders Emirates Entertainment Racing Club and Green Ridge Racing. The EERC is well known in the UAE and have even had ex-UK Arabians running for them in the Emirates, though this is their first foray into the sport in the UK. Al Kaaser will be partnered by Rossa Ryan who boasts a 100 percent strike rate in UK Arabian races from two rides this term.
The highest placed UK owned and trained finisher of 2020 was Abiyah Athbah. Dilmun Racing’s mare was fifth here by a short head on her seasonal return and this term with two runs under her belt, she may have more to offer. She has struck up a winning partnership with Joey Haynes, who though absent last year, is back on board here.
Farhaais the leading UK older mare who has won twice at this distance. Though she did disappoint when last tried at Listed PA level, she comes into the race in great form and will be joined by two other Shadwell Estates runners in Toofan and Loolwa. Toofan is a distance winner stepping up to pattern company for the first time, whilst Loolwa was third in this grade on her debut in the UK Arabian Derby last year.This season she was runner-up in a Belgian Listed PA race on her latest start over much further and could easily improve,dropped down to this trip for the first time.
Group3 PA sprint winner Storm Troupour will be making his fourth appearance in the race, whilst Paramer Angel will start as the outsider, making his first racecourse appearance in two years. On previous form he was quite closely matched with Abiyah Athbah, but the mare has improved past him since they last met in 2019.
Between thefour individual Group 1 PA winners and the further seven horses declared, they have collectively won 60 races between them. The overall prize fund for the Qatar International Stakes is £400,000, with £226,840 to the winner. There will also be a prize of £250 awarded to the groom of the Best Turned Out horse.
His Excellency Issa Bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, QREC Chairman said: “We are proud of our sponsorship of the Qatar International Stakes as one of our most valuable races and part of our commitment to promote Arabian racing. We are very pleased to see this race, once again, attracting some of the world’s top Arabians of the calibre of Ebraz, Tayf andLady Princessand promising to be a fabulous addition to the Qatar Goodwood Festival. I’m sure fans of all forms of racing will be fascinated by the spectacle of the Arabian horses at Goodwood. QREC would like to thank ARO and Goodwood for the excellent coordination and cooperation and we wish all the runners and their connections good luck!”
Genny HaynesAROCommercial and Finance Directorcommented: “The Qatar International Stakes always attracts qualityhorses, as you would expect with the very generous prize money on offer. It is very pleasing to see Ebraz and Tayf return, as their rivalry across three continents over the last five years has really caught the wider racing public’s imagination. It is also exciting to see the up-and-coming horses, Lady Princess and Deryan join in with what promises to be race for the history books.
“We’re also pleased to see some of our best of domestic Arabians stand their ground.The opportunities to try our horses at the highest level both here and internationally have been limited because of Covid and we hope that some of them prove that they can progress further.
She continued: “It is also encouraging to see some well-known jockeys getting a chance to ride in our most valuable race which hopefully may encourage new followers to our sport.”
Haynes concluded: “AROis extremely grateful for the ongoing support of UK Arabian racing by Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, for whom this will be their seventh year sponsoring this race at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.We would also like to thank the British Horseracing Authority and everyone at Goodwood and Fontwell racecourses for their assistance in ensuring that our overseas runners in particular, have every chance to participate on Wednesday,whilst we continue to face the challenge of Covid.”
Julian Smart, trainer of 2019 and 2020 winner Ebraz commented:
“We lost our way a bit with Ebraz after Goodwood last year. He ran some good races, the H.H. The Amir Sword second was a good run, where he got into a bit of trouble but still came with a run, but we never had the Ebraz that I know after Goodwood.
“Right now, he is absolutely flying, he couldn’t have been any more impressive in his prep race at La Teste and he’s come out of that unbelievably well and is in very, very good form. Tadhg O’Shea will ride, he knows Arabians and he’s ridden a lot for us as well.”
Thierry Delegue, European Racing Manager, YAS Horse Racing Management, owners of Deryancommented:
“Of course we have a lot of expectations with Deryan! After a little rest following his Dubai win, he worked regularly and his last piece of work on the turf was impressive… the field will be very strong with Ebraz, Tayf and Lady Princess, but we are confident he will run a good race.”
Phil Collington, trainer of Loolwa commented:
“We know that ten furlongs is ideal for Loolwa, but she has a high cruising speed and I think over a mile, and even in Group 1PA company, she’ll still be competitive, though she may just lack the turn of foot at the finish. She worked on Friday and I’m really pleased with her.”
Pete Hammersley, trainer of Abiyah Athbah, fifth in 2020, commented:
“Abiyah Athbah ran such a great race last year, on what was her seasonal debut. We were really pleased with her most recent run at Newbury, finishing a close third to two very promising three-year-olds over six furlongs. I think with two runs under her belt and her being a year older, I feel she is going to Goodwood this year, as good as we can get her, so we’re hoping for another big run from her.”
* “mdmar” news site for horse racing and equestrian
The “Midmar” website for horse and equestrian races is keen to cover and follow all competitions related to horses, from show jumping, Horseracing, speed and endurance races, and purebred Arabian horse beauty shows, which belong to the Arab Gulf countries at home and abroad in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
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