Qatar International Stakes 2019 Guide

Qatar International Stakes Group 1PA

Wednesday 31st July 2019

THE QATAR INTERNATIONAL STAKES (Group 1PA) The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club is honoured to once again partner Goodwood Racecourse in organising one of the most prestigious racing events in the world; the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

A magnificent five-race day programme hosts the Qatar Sussex Stakes Gr 1, the Qatar Nassau Stakes Gr 1 and the Qatar Goodwood Cup Gr 1 as well as the Qatar International Stakes Gr1 PA and the first showpiece of the year for Purebred Arabians.

Where excellence and sportsmanship come together.

Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club

It is an honour for the Arabian Racing Organisation to stage international Arabian racing at this level. The addition of this race at such a prestigious event in the UK racing calendar is a huge boost to the profile of the sport, both domestically and worldwide.

Every year the quality of entries for this race exceeds our expectations. We are delighted that it continues to attract a combination of exciting young horses just starting to make their mark on the international scene, as well as established champions.

Genny Haynes, ARO Commercial and Finance Director

The Arabian and Goodwood Horse racing has existed ever since horses were first domesticated, around 7,000 years ago. The Arabian horse is one of the oldest breeds and was developed specifically for stamina and soundness over long distances by the Bedouin tribes of the Arabian Peninsula.

During the late 17th and early 18th century, horse racing became popular in Britain and with races run in heats, over distances of up to four miles, stamina and soundness were of great importance. Breeders looked to the East for this quality and many oriental stallions and mares were imported to help create the Thoroughbred racehorse. The most famous of these foundation stallions were The Darley Arabian, The Godolphin Arabian and The Byerley Turk.

With no photography or film at that time, we can be thankful that our foremost equine artist, George Stubbs, was able to record the breeds’ early development, including portraits of a number of these imported stallions. Some of Stubbs’s earliest patrons were Lord Grosvenor, whose Arabian he painted in a typical Stubbs landscape and Charles Lennox, the third Duke of Richmond.

Stubbs stayed at Goodwood House for nine months, producing three paintings which summed up life on the estate including ‘Racehorses Exercising at Goodwood’ with Mary, Duchess of Richmond in the centre, watching three horses gallop away, whilst a fourth is rubbed down in the foreground.

Today, around 50% of Thoroughbred’s trace their ancestry to the Darley Arabian alone and with the emphasis now on breeding for speed, the modern Thoroughbred is approximately one second per furlong faster than an Arabian racehorse. Through genome testing, we know that Arabians carry the T:T variant, or stamina gene, as did Eclipse, the elite racehorse of his day, and another of Stubbs’s subjects.

Arabian racing and breeding takes place in 32 countries, all year round. Countries such as France, America, Russia, Poland and the Gulf States have a full programme of Arabian racing integrated with Thoroughbred racing, whilst in Turkey it is almost 50-50 Thoroughbred to Arabian racing at their racecourses.

Purebred Arabian racing began in the UK in 1978 and was established as the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) in 1999 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. ARO holds around 50 races per season, comprising of full fixtures and single races on Thoroughbred cards from spring through to autumn. Just like their Thoroughbred cousins, Arabian racehorses may compete in maidens, handicaps, conditions and Group (Pattern) races and there is an International Classification system to assist global competition.

Prior to the Qatar International Stakes, Arabians last raced at Goodwood in 2002, in a six furlong sprint open to international runners. The introduction of the Qatar International Stakes to the Goodwood Festival has brought some of the world’s top Arabian racehorses to compete on the Sussex Downs, including the 2016 winner Al Mourtajez. He became the World’s highest ever rated Arabian racehorse later that year when he was awarded a rating of 134 after winning The Qatar Arabian World Cup at Chantilly in October.

The following year in torrential rain, Tayf and Ebraz duelled throughout the final furlong, with Tayf proving victorious by a nose in a photo. Despite the challenging weather conditions, it was a thrilling contest and voted ‘Finish of the Day’ by Racing UK [now Racing TV]. In last year’s renewal Ebraz was again runner-up, though this time to Muraaqib, with Tayf in fourth, all three horses have been entered for the 2019 race. Also entered is this year’s Qatar Derby des Pur-Sang Arabe winner, Hayyan, as well as Rodess Du Loup who did the French and UK Derby double in 2018.

The 23 entries include ten individual Group 1 PA winners, plus a further nine horses entered who are either PA Pattern winners or have been placed in pattern races.

The overall prize fund for the Qatar International Stakes is £400,000, with £200,000 to the winner. There will also be a prize of £250 awarded to the groom of the Best Turned Out horse.

Qatar International Stakes - Race Statistics Owners HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum Al Shaqab Racing HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani Langoed Waterland Jean-Marc de Watrigant Pharitz Arabians Zayin Arabin Stud

Runners 5 1 3 7 1 1 2 1

Best Finishing Position 1st Tayf 2017 1st Muraaqib 2018 1st Al Mourtajez 2016 2nd Ebraz 2017, 2018 3rd Lightning Bolt 2018 6th Sahabba 2016 9th Storm Troupour 2018 8th Zayin Angkor Centurion 2018

No previous runners: Athbah Stud, Khalifa Hamad Al Attiyah, Dilmun Racing, John Elliott & Teresa Kinsey, SE Sherida Al Kabi, James Owen Racing Club, Delyth Thomas, YAS Horse Management

Qatar International Stakes - Race Statistics Trainer

Runners

Best Finishing Position

Alban de Mieulle (QA) Francois Rohaut (FR) Thomas Fourcy (FR) Julian Smart (QA) Miss Karen Van Den Bos (NL) Charles Gourdain (FR) Damien de Watrigant (FR) Ms Beverley Deutrom Mr James Owen Mr Peter Hammersley

5 3 3 6 1 1 1 7 1 2

1st Tayf 2017 1st Muraaqib 2018 1st Al Mourtajez 2016 2nd Ebraz 2017, 2018 3rd Lightning Bolt 2018 4th Nafees 2017 6th Sahabba 2016 5th Furry 2017 6th Crahck 2017 8th Zayin Angkor Centurion 2018

No previous runners: Frederic Sanchez, Mr Philip Collington, Antoine de Watrigant

Jockey

Rides

Best Finishing Position

Olivier Peslier Jean-Bernard Eyquem Julien AugĂŠ Jim Crowley Adrie Des Vries Theo Batchelot Pat Dobbs Richard Mullen Valentin Seguy Tadhg O'Shea Francois Xavier-Bertras Harry Bentley Faleh Bughenaim Jean-Baptiste Hamel Thierry Jarnet Miss Joanna Mason

4 2 2 1 3 1 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 1

1st Tayf 2017 1st Sir Bani Yas 2015 1st Al Mourtajez 2016 1st Muraaqib 2018 2nd Prada T 2017 2nd Ebraz 2018 2nd Prada T 2016 4th Ba'sil 2015 4th Nafees 2017 5th Gidwa 2015, Furry 2017 5th Rawah 2016 6th Al Majh'hoor 2015 6th Zikreet 2018 6th Sahaaba 2016 6th Kalino 2015 6th Crahck 2017

1 ride: Asad Al Syabi (13th), Dayversson De Barros (9th), Royston Ffrench (12th), J-P Guillambert (7th), Antoine Hamelin (7th), Adam Kirby (9th), Graham Lee (11th), David Probert (10th), Sylvain Ruis (10th), Ryan Tate (9th), Mr David Turner (8th)

Qatar International Stakes - Group 1 PA form 127

Ebraz

3 x Gr1PA:

(6 H Amer x Massamarie)

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani

HH The Amir Sword 2017, 2019 Qatar Cup (Prix Dragon) 2017 Leading horse in Qatar 2018/2019 (prize money won)

126

Muraaqib (FR) (7 H Munjiz x Tashreefat)

7 x Gr1PA:

HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum

Qatar International Stakes 2018 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown 2017 International Malazgirt Trophy 2017 President of the UAE Cup (Coupe de Europe) 2017, Dubai International Stakes 2016 Al Rayyan Cup (Prix Kesberoy) 2015 Qatar Total Arabian Trophy des Poulains 2015 Leading horse in UK 2018 (prize money won)

121

Tayf (FR) (7 H Amer x Djelmila)

2 x Gr1PA:

HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani

President of the UAE Cup (Coupe de Europe) 2019 Qatar International Stakes 2017 Leading horse in UK 2017 (prize money won)

119

Lightning Bolt (FR) (7 H Munjiz x Oleya Du Loup)

2 x Gr1PA:

Langoed Waterland

Dubai International Stakes 2017 President of the UAE Cup (UK Arabian Derby) 2016

114

Rodess Du Loup (FR) (5 H Dahess x Aurore Du Loup)

2 x Gr1PA:

Khalifa Hamad Al Attiyah

Qatar Derby des Pur-Sang Arabes 2018 President of the UAE Cup (UK Arabian Derby) 2018

7th Race 5.20pm Qatar International Stakes (Gr1PA) - entries 127 127 126 121 120 119 116 116 115 114 112 111 106 102 101 96 90 87 80 105 95 107 78

Ebraz Yazeed (FR) Muraaqib (FR) Tayf (FR) Mehdaaf Athbah Lightning Bolt (FR) Ahzar (FR) Hayyan (FR) Mith'haf Athbah Rodess Du Loup (FR) Taymour (FR) Storm Troupour (US) Shabih Alreeh Zayin Angkor Centurion Awzaan (FR) Emiraaty (FR) Hau Kola Paramer Angel Tijaary (FR) Amir Al Cham (FR) Annan (FR) Shomoos Athbah Abiyah Athbah

6H 6H 7H 7H 7H 7H 6H 4C 7H 5H 5H 8H 6H 6H 8G 8G 7G 8G 6G 4G 4G 5M 5M

Julian Smart (QA) Alban de Mieulle (FR Francois Rohaut (FR) Alban de Mieulle (FR Mr Philip Collington Miss K Van Den Bos (NL) Damien de Watrigant (FR) Frederic Sanchez (FR) Mr Philip Collington Charles Gourdain (FR) Antoine de Watrigant (FR) Ms B Deutrom Thomas Fourcy (FR) Mr Peter Hammersley Mr James Owen Mr James Owen Mr Peter Hammersley Mrs D Thomas Mr James Owen Thomas Fourcy (FR) Julian Smart (FR) Mr Philip Collington Mr Peter Hammersley

[Declared runners in bold]

Distance: 8f (1600m)

Surface: Turf

Total Prize Fund: £400,000

Winning Horse: £200,000

Places: Second - £80,000 Fourth - £32,000 Sixth - £16,000

Third: £48,000 Fifth - £24,000

Age range: 4yo and upwards

Field Safety Limit: 18

Weights: 5yo and upwards 9st 8lb Allowances: Fillies & Mares - 4lb

4yo 9st 6lb

Nomination (entry): closed June 26 Supplementary Entries: £3,000 by 1200hrs on July 23 Declaration: £500 by 1100 hrs on July 29 Jockey Declarations: by 1100hrs on July 29

9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.08 9.06 9.06 9.04 9.04

Qatar International Stakes Group 1PA Previous Winners, Ground and Times:

2018

Muraaqib

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Francois Rohaut (France), Jim Crowley Good, 1.48.00

2017

Tayf

2016

Al Mourtajez

HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani Alban de Mieulle (Qatar), Olivier Peslier Soft, 1.55.77 Al Shaqab Racing Thomas Fourcy (France), Julien AugĂŠ Good to Firm, 1.43.54

2015

Sir Bani Yas

HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Suc. Jean-Francois Bernard (France), Jean-Bernard Eyquem Good to Firm, 1.46.35

Wednesday 31st July 2019 Qatar Goodwood Festival

2019 Equine Creative Media in association with the Arabian Racing Organisation