H.H Sh. Mohammed bin Khalifa’s EBRAZ is the victor of Qatar Arabian World Cup

H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani’s EBRAZ is the victor of Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1-PA)

WALDGEIST wins Qatar Prix De L’arc De Triomphe (Gr 1)

H.H Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani presented to H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA) following EBRAZ’s victory in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA) at ParisLongchamp this afternoon

EBRAZ (AMER) provided His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani with his fifth win in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1-PA). He is now the winning-most owner in this race. EBRAZ started as favourite in this race, ridden by Maxime Guyon. He is trained by Julian Smart. He sat patiently down the field, with plenty of running. In the straight he stormed down the track to take the lead from Al Shaqab Racing’s KHATAAB (AMER), trained by Thomas Fourcy and ridden by Jerome Cabre, who battled bravely and finished second three quarters of a length behind his half brother. The P. Collington-trained and Jean-Bernard Eyquem-ridden MASHHUR AL KHALEDIAH (JALNAR AL KHALEDIAH) held on to third place almost a further length behind.

“It’s for day’s like this that we race”, commented the winning trainer Julian Smart, “I am very lucky to train horses such as EBRAZ for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. That’s five wins now in this race, not bad at all! EBRAZ won the H.H The Amir Sword (Gr1-PA). I don’t normally train horses that shine at that age. They tend to be at their best later. He has won the best race in the world at the age of 6 and we are dreaming of next year. We do expect EBRAZ to follow the example of GAZWAN and continue his excellence for one or two years. My boss has had an amazing weekend after his wins on Friday and Saturday, so there was no pressure today and we’ve added a new victory, which is the most prestigious!”

WALDGEIST denies ENABLE a historic treble in Gr 1 Qatar Prix De L’arc De Triomphe

H.H Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani crowned the connections of WALDGEIST with the trophy of the Gr 1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe following the 5YO chestnut horse win the World’s Best Horse Race.

It was the race of the decade. The champion mare ENABLE (NATHANIEL) was attempting a record third victory in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr1), the best race in the world. A hundred meters from the line, she had taken the lead from her main rivals, Jockey Club (Gr1) victor SOTTSASS (SIYOUNI) and JAPAN (GALILEO), winner of the Grand Prix de Paris (Gr1) and the Juddmonte International (Gr1). Frankie Dettori and ENBALE were hugging the rail and the wonder mare was battling bravely to line in the very testing ground, when the 5-year-old horse WALDGEIST (GALILEO), ridden by French champion jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot, who had been making up ground down the centre of the track on the better ground, came to pass her inside the final furlong for victory in this legendary race. WALDGEIST is owned in partnership by Gestüt Ammerland and Newsells Park Stud. He is trained by the French magician, André Fabre in Chantilly. This was Fabre’s 8th Arc winner: a new record in this race.

WALDGEIST has been an incredibly consistent horse at the highest level throughout his racing career, number 9 victories – 8 of which are Group victories, of which 4 at came at Group 1 level – and 5 places – all at Group level. He has never been out of the money in his thirteen lifetime starts. His lifetime earnings now total €4,349,180.

Co-owner and breeder of Waldgeist via Gestüt Ammerland, Dietrich von Boetticher commented, “It is an incredible feeling to win the Arc. It’s a race that you can try a lifetime to win and, in general, not succeed! It has taken us some time to get here. We bred Hurricane Run, who won the Arc but not in our colours. To win these races, sometimes you have to know how to be in a partnership, which is what we did with Andreas Jacobs, the owner of Newsells Park Stud. We were worried about the ground today. It was a real test. But this horse is stronger and better than ever. I did not expect to beat Enable, nor see him accelerate as he did in the straight.”

ALBIGNA wins Gr1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac

The 2-year-old filly ALBIGNA (ZOFFANY) ran out the authoritative winner of the opening race, the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac (Gr1), on the Sunday of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend. Trained in Ireland by Jessica Harrington for the Niarchos Family, who also bred her, the chestnut filly was winning the first Group 1 of her juvenile year. The soft ground did not seem to worry her today and she showed impressive acceleration under guidance from jockey Shane Foley in the final furlong to emphatically shut the door on her rivals. MARIETA (SIYOUNI) finished in second by 2 ½ lengths, with FLIGHTLY LADY (SIR PERCY) in third ½ length further back.

VICTOR LUDLUM scores in Gr1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère sponsored by MANATEQ

The undefeated VICTOR LUDLUM (SHAMARDAL) flew home to mark a French-trained victory in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère Sponsored by MANATEQ (Gr1). In the care of French maestro André Fabre, VICTOR LUDLUM sat quietly in mid-division, tracking ARMOURY who races for the Coolmore silks. German raider ALSON took the lead and led the race at an uneven pace in testing conditions. ALSON looked to have the race in hand under Frankie Dettori in the straight, but ARMOURY and VICTOR LUDLUM traced his acceleration coming down the centre of the track of the better ground. VICTOR LUDLUM took the lead in the final 50 meters, winning by just under a length. He was partnered by his regular rider Mickael Barzalona.

VILLA MARINA romps home to Gr1 win Prix De L’opera Longines

It was another Group 1 victory for French-trained horses in the Prix de l’Opéra Longines (Gr1), when VILLA MARINA (LE HAVRE) came to snatch the win in the final strides. Trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias for the colours of a S.A.R.L. Darpat France, she produced a copybook performance in the straight in the hands of Olivier Peslier.  FLEETING (ZOFFANY) came with a late run for second place, but could not quite get to the winning filly. Coronation Stakes heroine, WATCH ME (OLYMPIC GLORY) finished in third, not having had the clearest of runs in the straight.

Fairytale win for GLASS SLIPPERS in Gr 1Qatar Prix De L’abbaye Longines

The 3-year-old GLASS SLIPPERS (Dream Ahead) showed a liking for the softer ground in this sprint race, the Qatar Prix de l’Abbaye Longines (Gr1). The Bearstone Stud Limited-owned Glass Slippers took the lead under Tom Andrew Eaves after only two furlongs, accompanied on her inside by eventual third El Astronaute (Approve), and Invincible Army (invincible Spirit), who finished in fourth, on her outside. They pulled clear of the pack, and only So Perfect (Scat Daddy) made up lengths on them to finish second. Champion sprinter Battaash (Dark Angel) did not travel on the heavy going, and was quickly out of proceedings. GLASS SLIPPERS is trained by Kevin A. Ryan.

A second consecutive win for ONE MASTER in Gr1 Qatar Prix De La Foret (GR1)

It looked as if CITY LIGHT (SIYOUNI) would end his racing career with a win in the Qatar Prix de Forêt (Gr1) before entering stud, but it wasn’t to be! ONE MASTER (FASTNET ROCK), in the colours of Lael Stable, came to secure victory in the final strides. The William Haggas-trained filly travelled in the second half of the field in this 7-furlong race, and won by ½ length in front of CITY LIGHT, with SPEAK IN COLOURS (EXCELEBRATION) in third. She was ridden by Pierre-Charles Boudot, who was winning his 6th race of the weekend, including the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe! ONE MASTER is the only the fourth horse to win this race twice.

DARK AMERCIAN zips home in Qatar Grand Handicap Des Flyers

The final race of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Tromphe weekend, the Qatar Grand Handicap des Flyers, was won by DARK AMERICAN (DARK ANGEL) in the colours of Legend Racing Club, who also own the third place finisher ZAVRINKA (RAJSAMAN). Both are trained by Vincent Sartori at Chantilly. DARK AMERICAN (DARK ANGEL), who was ridden here by Christophe Soumillion, won by ¾ length in front of SALT LAKE CITY (HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR). DARK AMERICAN (DARK ANGEL) was winning his second race of the year, having also won a handicap in March for the same connections.