Qatar’s sponsorship of Qatar Goodwood Festival renewed Up to 2024
QREC – Doha
Photos by Jugaim
Issa Al Mohannadi: Partnership enhances Qatar’s equestrian sport’s standing and realises QREC’s vision
A new step has been taken, reflecting Qatar’s success in sponsoring global horseracing events and asserting its ability to occupy its well-deserved standing at the most famous racing level worldwide. It has been announced that the contract of Qatar’s, represented by the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC), sponsorship of the Qatar Goodwood Festival has been renewed. Theannual mega event has been held at the iconic racecourse for over 200 years.
The renewal of the sponsorship was announced during a meeting held between QREC Chairman HE Issa bin Mohammed Al-Mohannadi and the Duke of Richmond, owner of Goodwood racecourse, in presence of QREC CEO Nasser bin Sherida Al-Kaabi.
Under the renewed sponsorship contract, QREC will continue to sponsor the Festival up to 2024 as the initial sponsorship term will expire in early August this year with the fifth edition of the five-day Festival. The very first edition of the Qatar Goodwood Festival was launched in late July and early August 2015. The huge success of the Qatar-sponsored Festival over the last few years has motivated Goodwood racecourse to renew the sponsorship and continue the partnership with Qatar in such a global event.
Al-Mohannadi: Well-deserved standing for Qatar’s equestrian sport
QREC Chairman HE Issa bin Mohammed Al-Mohannadi commented on the renewal of the sponsorship. “Based on our experience over five years at the Qatar Goodwood Festival”, he said, “the agreement to renew Qatar’s sponsorship realises one of the objectives of QREC that Qatar has its well-deserved standing worldwide. In fact, the outcome of this sponsorship over the last five years has benefited Qatar in general and Qatar’s equestrian sport in particular because it promoted the name of Qatar in such international gatherings. It has also helped foster our relations and cooperation with horse organisations in the United Kingdom. Besides, it enhances Qatar’s commitment to purebred Arabian racing with races run at the world’s top level and at Goodwood as one of the most important and iconic racecourses worldwide. The Festival involves the first race or round of the Doha Triple Crown for pure Arabians, which is in line with the QREC’s vision.”
“Goodwood racecourse officials realise that the Qatari sponsorship has contributed immensely to adding extra brilliance and thrill to the famed Festival”, added Al-Mohannadi, “with top races run in presence of the world’s top horse owners and breeders. It was not an easy matter to enter into an agreement of this type with the organisers of an event that has been held for over 200 years. However, the conviction that Qatar, represented in QREC, is fully committed to such investment has been the key to the renewal and continuation of the sponsorship up to 2024, which is a significant benefit to Qatar’s equestrian sport.”
It is worth mentioning that Qatar’s sponsorship of the Qatar Goodwood Festival is the first of its kind for Qatar’s equestrian sport and horseracing in the United Kingdom.
The Festival features the Qatar International Stakes (Gr1 P/A), which is the first round of the Doha Triple Crown. The second round is held through the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 P/A) on the same day of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp in early October while the third and the final round is the HH The Amir Sword (Gr1 P/A), which is run at Al-Rayyan Park in Doha in February.
The Qatar Goodwood Festival also features some of the top races for thoroughbreds, including the Qatar Goodwood Cup (Gr 1), the Qatar Sussex Stakes (Gr 1), the Qatar Nassau Stakes (Gr 1), the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (Gr 2), the Qatar King George Stakes (Gr 2) and the Qatar Gordon Stakes (Gr 1).
About QREC
The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) was established in the early 1960s and was officially made public in 1975. QREC is mandated with representing, promoting and advancing equine and equestrian initiatives from grassroots programmes to the international arena. Focused on equestrian sport and horse welfare, QREC is dedicated on promoting Qatar as a world-class hub for horse racing and a leader in the pure Arabian breed.
QREC works in collaboration with local bodies dedicated to achieving excellence in planning, regulating and developing Qatar’s racing industry to reflect the world’s best practices.
By harnessing innovation and excellence and driven by professionalism and integrity, QREC hopes to bring the joy of racing and breeding to the wider public. www.qrec.gov.qa
