R A C E H O R S E
4 Home from Home - Mohammed bin Hamad Khalifa Al Attiyah
8 Jockey profile - Szczepan Mazur
12 Full Circle - Jean de Mieulle
14 Qatar International Stakes - Race Preview
19 Qatar International Stakes Past Winners
Welcome to this special edition of The Arabian Racehorse previewing the UK's most valuable and prestigious race for Arabians We also speak with Mohammed bin Hamad Khalifa Al Attiyah who has set up a small base in Newmarket this summer with this race in mind, and his jockey Szczepan Mazur as well as Jean de Mieulle who will become Al Shaqab's private trainer this winter in Qatar
Year on year Arabian racing continues to grow around the world and with the increase in prize money for such events, such as the HH The Amir Sword, the Saudi Cup, the Dubai World Cup and the Arc de Triomphe meetings, international interest in these races grows with it.
The Arabian Racehorse is primarily a digital magazine, however print editions may be ordered, you may subscribe to our e-newletters and during the UK Arabian racing season you can watch our podcasts, supported by Equine MediRecord on their dedicated YouTube channel For further information or access to back copies go to our website:
www.thearabianracehorse.com
Debbie Burt Editor, The Arabian Racehorse
Stable Cottage, Fosse Cross, Cheltenham, Glos, GL54 4NP equinecreativemedia@gmail.com
00 44 7782 349 047 www.equinecreativemedia.com
Unless otherwise stated, all features, reports and photographs are by Debbie Burt (copyright) All rights reserved Print copies may be ordered Photographs may be viewed and purchased at www.equinecreativemedia.smugmug.com
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3 Q a t a r I n t e r n a t i o n a l S t a k e s - 2 0 2 3
by equine creative media
Produced
The British racing scene for both Arabians and Thoroughbreds has received a boost this summer with the arrival of Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Attiyah from Qatar As one of the youngest trainers in Qatar, the 26-year-old is in only his third season, but has already gained a first Group 1PA win in Qatar and a top ten finish in the QREC trainers table He is now heading into the Qatar Goodwood Festival with one of the leading fancies for the £400,000 Group 1PA Qatar International Stakes to be run on August 2
It has been a rapid progression Finishing 47th in the trainers’ table in 2020/2021 with two places from just four runs, he made it to 16th in 2021/2022 with 20 winners and ended this current season in an impressive fifth place, with 23 winners and 380,407 QAR in prize money As two of those above him, Hong Kong’s Doug Whyte and France’s Francois Rohaut are internationals, he ranks in third place among the domestic trainers His stable at the family
farm now numbers around 50 horses, split between 75% Arabians with the rest Thoroughbreds
In Qatar his horses race in the colours of Al Jeryan Stud (white with maroon stars), whilst in Britain they are under his own name, in his personal colours of maroon with white stripes and white stars on the sleeves He has already had horses in training here for a number of years, thoroughbreds with Mark Johnston and George Boughey, though currently just with Roger Varian, as well as Joseph O’Brien in Ireland He’s also had Arabians with top UK trainer
Phil Collington
However, since he was a small child, Al Attiyah had always ridden and riding, then owning and breeding was not enough. He explains, “Around 13 years ago, me and my elder brother Khalifa started things up. Al Jeryan is where we live, our own private land. The stables are just behind our house.
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4 H o m e f r o m H o m e M o h a m m e d b i n H a m a d K h a l i f a A l A t t i y a h
Mohammed bin Hamad Khalifa Al Attiyah goes to saddle AJS Saaeq at Chester
“In Qatar we have plenty of races for Arabians The Arabian races are very prestigious, which led us to plan a proper broodmare band The last couple of years I was more and more involved, it was a natural progression to train them as well, then if things go wrong, you only have yourself to blame!”
“I like to be involved in everything. I can’t just sit and wait for the race, it’s not really enough for me!” he laughs. “When I started, I found I really enjoyed it and thankfully it is been working very well. Having ridden from a very young age, I got to experiment and speaking to people who have been in this field has been a great help, but you just put everything you like together and do your own thing.”
As for the challenge of the two breeds he says, “I don’t find there is much difference between training Arabians and thoroughbreds With the Arabians, I start them off early, my two-year-olds are already backed and walking back home in Qatar But unlike many other trainers, I really take my time with them, there is no rush to break them in quickly over a couple of months, as it is too much for them mentally and that’s when you get problems ”
His standard bearer this season has been the homebred, AJS Saaeq, who will be lining up at Goodwood in two weeks time He made great progress by winning the Purebred Arabian Guineas for four-year-olds in November, racing against mostly overseas bred runners with higher ratings He then lost out by less than a length to Sealine in the feature race of the Late Sheikh Jassim bin
Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy, a race reserved for local breds
The highlight of the Qatari season is the HH The Amir Sword Festival meeting in February, with the mile and a half HH The Amir Sword, a Group 1 for Arabians, as the most important race in their calendar. After the meeting gained a significant prize money boost, that race is now the most valuable in the world for the breed, with a prize fund of $2.5 million. However AJS Saaeq’s form was over shorter and the three day Festival features two races that would suit, the Gulf Cup for GCC bred horses over 1500m on the Friday, and the Qatar International Cup, a Group1PA invitational on Amir Sword day, worth $500,000
Recalling the steps to AJS Saaeq’s win Al Attiyah said, “He’d been progressing very well, I always thought that he was a very good horse, winning good races over a mile When it came to the Amir Sword meeting, we had two options To be honest, actually it was Marcus [Weedon] the handicapper in Doha, who put this idea in our head that he thinks AJS Saaeq can win the Qatar International The horse was entered in both already, so I’d kept my options open But I had nothing to lose, no owners to blame me if he gets beaten, so instead of running in the easier race, I thought I want him to run on the final day in a Group 1 mile
“Of course I expected him to run well, but did I expect him to win? I don’t know, it was his first time running with proper Group 1 horses, but he
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M re
International Cup (Gr1PA) at the 2023 HH The Amir Sword Festival
With a future attempt at the HH Amir Sword in mind, his next start, the Gold Sword in April was a step up to 2000m, however, like many by his sire AF Albahar (who Al-Attiyah also owns), it was too much of a stamina test in Group 1PA company, and he finished seventh
The plan was made to come to the UK for Arabian racing’s most valuable race over a mile in Europe, the Qatar International Stakes Taking in the sixfurlong IFAHR Trophy, a Group 2PA run for the first time at Chester this year as a prep race, AJS Saaeq finished second A respectable run, though like many a well fancied runner before him, luck was not on his side and having been trapped at a vital stage, he was unable to reel in the eventual winner Ekleel Athbah who got a clear run up the rail
Looking ahead to the main target he says, “I’ve been to Glorious Goodwood as a guest. The meeting is one of the biggest in the summer and it’s obviously great to go there with a runner, and even better to have one with a chance. I’m hoping AJS Saaeq can run very well. Chester didn’t go well, many things went wrong for him. I just hope at Goodwood he’ll have a smooth run. ”
Back home at Al Jeryan, he has around 20 Arabian broodmares, including the dam of AJS Saaeq A full brother has been broken and ridden away, with the dam, Sahab Al Zaeem in foal to 2018 Qatar International Stakes winner in Muraaqib Sahab Al Zaeem is by Djendel, out of Noisette Al Maury, a full sister to No Risk Al Maury and Nacree Al Maury, the dam of Lady Princess and Mister Ginoux
“The dam is unraced, but she has a top pedigree and we always thought AF Albahar would suit her very well There is also a yearling half-sister to AJS Saaeq and we ’ re hoping to have many more foals from this mare ”
For breeding stock, Al Jeryan Stud’s emphasis is very much quality over quantity Al-Attiyah also has thoroughbred broodmares, including Pivotal Lady, a half-sister to Prix d’Ispahan winner Best Of The Bests, who is the maternal grandam of recent Prix Robert Papin winner, Ramatuelle.
“I have both the grandam and a half-sister to the dam, Zman Awal, who is by Dubawi. Ramatuelle’s win is a great update to the family.”
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Mohammed bin Hamad Khalifa Al-Attiyah with AJS Saaeq (QA) heads out to exercise on Racecourse Side on Newmarket Heath
It’s clear that spending a summer training in Newmarket is agreeing with both his horses and his business plans as Al-Attiyah has also bought two broodmares at the Tattersalls July Sale to export to Qatar where they also have races restricted to Qatari foaled thoroughbreds. One is from the family of Auguste Rodin and is in foal to Nathaniel, the other is from the family of Swiss Spirit and is in foal to Ulysses
“I’m hoping to come back next year with more horses, as I’m happy training in Newmarket The facilities are really good, we ’ ve used a couple of different gallops and the spa My three-year-old, AJS Lattam’s win at Wolverhampton will be an ideal preparation for his next race at Deauville, the Al Rayyan Cup in which he’ll try Group 1PA company for the first time ”
During his visit Al-Attiyah has also saddled his first Royal Ascot runner, Empty Metaphor in the Jersey Stakes, who unfortunately has not proved as able as his Arabian stablemates. However he was very realistic about the horses chances admitting at the time, “ we ’ re just here to have fun today.”
Looking ahead to August 2 and the Qatar International Stakes, Al-Attiyah concludes, “I think, especially this year, it will be hard to know which horse is going to win, it looks like there’s going to be some really good horses going We’ve travelled all the way from Qatar to the UK with this race in our minds, hopefully we ’ re going to run and who ever turns up there, we’ll take our chance and see how it goes ”
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Saddling Empty Metaphor (IRE) at Royal Ascot for the Group 3 Jersey Stakes
The Qatar International Stakes often brings overseas jockeys to ride at Goodwood for the first time Making his debut this year is likely to be AJS Saaeq’s regular partner, Szczepan Mazur Twice a winner of the Polish Derby, securing the services of the six times Polish champion has been an integral part of Mohammed bin Hamad Khalifa Al-Attiyah’s success in Qatar Gaining a top ten placing in the QREC jockeys’ championship in both seasons to race, so far he has ridden 74 winners in Qatar (plus one dead heat), finishing fifth for 2022/2023 on 32 winners
“Szczepan has been a very good jockey for us, he’s done two years already and I’m hoping for many more to come. ” Al-Attiyah commented after the 28year-old had ridden AJS Lattam to the colt’s third straight success at Wolverhampton in The Arabian Racehorse Magazine Novice Stakes. Mazur knows all the Al-Attiyah horses well, riding them out every day at Al Jeryan in Qatar where he has enjoyed being part of a new team.
However Mazur had no background in racing, just an enjoyment of sports
“I started when I was 16,” he explains “I didn’t ride as a child, I just went straight to a trainer as there is no
racing school in Poland I was a fan of any kind of sport, but I started with horses and I liked it When I was with the trainer, people were suggesting that I keep going and become professional
“So I travelled to UK and Ireland for short courses, for example I went twice to the British Racing School in Newmarket where I was taught by Richard Perham ”
Having ridden over 600 winners in Poland, where there is a full programme of racing for Arabians, trying his luck in the Gulf States where the breed is even more popular was not a difficult decision As he explains, “We have many races for Arabians in Poland, so I am very familiar with them, it’s normal for me. At the top level, there’s very little difference, they are quite similar to thoroughbreds.”
Mazur spent four years in the UAE, mostly riding for Ibrahim Al Hadrami and the Royal Cavalry of Oman, returning home for the off season to ride in Poland.
“This summer for a change, I’ve gone to Germany, it’s a new challenge We’ll see if my trainer
Mohammed Al-Attiyah comes back to the UK next summer, then maybe I will be here!” He laughs
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8 J o c k e y P r o f i l e S z c z e p a n M a z u r
During his time in the Emirates, one of his most notable successes came riding Wadeeaa to win Round 1 of the Al Maktoum Challenge (Gr1PA) for HH Sheikh Mansoor. However AJS Saaeq’s two length Group 1PA success at this year ’ s HH The Amir Sword meeting was Mazur’s most lucrative overseas victory, with the race worth half a million dollars.
Recalling that win he says, “For AJS Saaeq, it was a little bit of a crazy plan, as he was a local bred and local bred hasn’t won for maybe five years? We’d had very good season with him, beating some international horses over a mile, so Mohammed entered him, we tried our chances and we won
“Fortunately Mohammed had him in his best condition, he was feeling very good that day and he beat his opponents very easily ”
Riding at AJS Lattam at Wolverhampton on a Monday night provided Mazur with his first visit to the UK. The Qatar Goodwood Festival will be another experience entirely.
“It’s really something for me to go to Goodwood for the Festival.” Mazur concludes. “It’s a big step forward for my career. I enjoy riding at the big tracks on the big days, so it’s going to be something special for me ”
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Szczepan Mazur and AJS Lattam (QA) with Mohammed bin Hamad Khalifa Al Attiyah after winning The Arabian Racehorse Magazine Novice Stakes at Wolverhampton
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It will be all change for 29-year-old Jean de Mieulle the day after the Arc de Triomphe meeting As he and most of his team will leave his yard in Morannes Sur Sarthe, western France where they have been based since his first runner in May 2020, and head out to Qatar, where de Mieulle will take charge of Al Shaqab’s string.
“I will become a private trainer for Al Shaqab, so my training centre here in France will then be used for pre-training. I will probably have around 20 to 30 horse in pre-training for them, two-year-old Arabians and a few yearling thoroughbreds. At the same time, we will have the horses in training in Qatar and then when the season has finished there, I will come back with the best Arabians for a European campaign in the summer Basically the same programme as my uncle Alban [de Mieulle] used for Umm Qarn ”
Of course there will be mixed emotions, but de Mieulle feels he is travelling full circle
“The stable here is going very well, so for sure I am a little bit sad to leave behind what we have created from the beginning, but life is about opportunities
“I think everyone knows that Qatar is my second home, I lived five years over there working for my
uncle I know the programme a 100% and the good point is by doing seven months in Qatar and five months in France, we escape the cold in France and escape the heat in Qatar!” laughs de Mieulle
Initially he will take over the same set up as Al Shaqab’s previous trainer Eric Lemartinel [who returns to the UAE to take over from Jean de Roualle at Al Ain for Sheikh Mansoor’s YAS racing]. De Mieulle will be in charge of two barns at Al Rayyan and one barn in Al Uqda, however plans are underway to build a private training centre at Sheikh Joaan’s own farm, which he hopes will be ready in the autumn.
“I think 62 boxes are already complete, but eventually there will be 80 boxes There will be an oval peat track of around 1900m, with an incline, and alongside our training centre there are plans for a pre-training centre for the locals and also a breeding area, in much the same way as Umm Qarn was set up It's close to the camel track near Al Shahania, and only about 5 or 6 km from Umm Qarn I think the weather is better in that area for horses ”
Of course as a private trainer, the string he has built up outside of the few he already has for Al Shaqab, will have to be dispersed to other trainers, or be
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12
“The Al Shaqab horses here that are resting, as soon as they can travel, they will go back to Qatar It’s good to keep a base here to support the base in Qatar. It’s mild in the winter here, we ’ re creating some new paddocks and a small training track just so we can keep a few horses on holiday.”
“My foreman Angelo [Gasnier] will be in charge, he used to be a jump jockey, he’s very experienced. We will all work together between France and Qatar to give Sheikh Joaan the success he deserves and to see him back on the top for all the big races in Qatar
“Of the horses we have for Al Shaqab already, I like Bojdoor, a Dormane half-brother to Mwarid He’s a heavy horse and he’s a little bit late, so we’ll take our time with him, but physically he’s different, the way he moves, he has amazing balance I think he is a prospect who will only run once or twice at three years old, but hopefully he will be a nice racehorse in time Hopefully we will also have some good horses to run in Europe ”
However before then, there are still other owners and targets to satisfy The next big event is Goodwood where de Mieulle’s current premier horse, the dual Group 1PA winner First Classs, will attempt to improve on last year ’ s fifth place in the
Qatar International Stakes Whilst there is no Lady Princess this year, a glance at the entries shows it’s another strong field, as befits a £400,000 race.
“First Classs is training well and looking good. He looks stronger this year. After Goodwood, then we will prepare for the Qatar Arabian World Cup, as we did last year. ”
First Classs has given de Mieulle a real seat at the top table under his own name As he explains “When you prepare a horse for a Group 1 in a different country than where you are based, it’s really something You cannot miss any detail I compare it with Formula 1, every small thing is important, and I am really grateful that Alban taught me how to train and prepare a Group 1 horse for that level of competition Of course we started with fillies like Lamet Shamel and Queen Shalah, who were Group 2 horses, but First Class gave us the Group 1 experience
“On paper it is the same, but with animals things can change very quickly, so you cannot beat experience We have a learnt alot because of First Classs Of course, for my staff it is a huge experience and I’m very grateful to Deb and Nasser for the opportunity to train him ”
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Diamond Gem AA (US) leads exercise at Morannes Sur Sarthe
From an original 15 entries it looks like Sunday’s final declarations for the £400,000 race to be run at 1 15pm on Wednesday August 2 will have been whittled down to eight Though it will be one of the smallest recent fields, for the first time in the Qatar International Stakes eight-year history, the probable runners will include no horse rated lower than 112, firmly cementing its status as Europe’s premier race for Arabians over a mile
With the retirement of Lady Princess, there will of course be a new name on the trophy Only First Classs and Samlla return from the 2022 renewal and they’re only six and five respectively, so it also marks an exciting new era of international Arabian racing, with young stars to step into the spotlight.
All bar First Classs and Jabalah will arrive on the Sussex Downs with a benefit of a prep run, only Tayf
(2017), whose preceding run had been a second in Qatar’s Gold Sword in April, has won the race off a break Tayf also put paid to the only realistic challenge by a four-year-old in the race when he denied Ebraz by a nose, so success for Al Ghadeer would make him the first of his age group to win, despite a small weight allowance
Though the race has seen Qatar trained, UK prepared horses such as Ebraz win before, success for AJS Saaeq would mark the first time an owner, trainer, breeder has secured the race Whilst a win for his Newmarket neighbour Phil Collington, would be a first for a domestic UK trainer, and a first win for a Saudi Arabian owner.
T H E A R A B I A N R A C E H O R S E 14 Q a t a r I n t e r n a t i o n a l S t a k e s ( G r o u p 1 P A ) R a c e P r e v i e w
Al Ghadeer (FR) and Christophe Soumillon win the 2023 Qatar Arabian Derby des Pur Sang Arabes (Gr1PA) at Chantilly in June He bids to be the first four-year-old winner of the race
AJS SAAEQ OR 114
2018 H AF Albahar x Sahab Al Zaeem
Qatar Arabian Guineas winner who has been running with credit all winter in Doha before an impressive success in the Qatar International Cup (Group 1PA) Run over a mile as part of the HH The Amir Sword meeting in February, he beat Jabalah by two lengths and Sahab by five He didn’t get home stepped up to 2000m in April’s Gold Sword, but rested afterwards with this race in mind
Finished a respectable second to Ekleel Athbah on UK debut in May in the IFAHR Trophy (Gr2PA) over six furlongs when repeatedly not gaining a clear run when the pace quickened Has raced mostly on good ground in Qatar, though his win in the HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy (also over a mile) in January was on yielding, and the Chester run was on the easy side of good
“Goodwood was always the plan after he won the Qatar International Cup Chester didn’t go to plan, but he showed that’s he’s in good form, hopefully fitness wise, he’s improved His regular jockey
Szczepan Mazur is flying in and he’s really excited to be riding there It’s an achievement to have a runner at such a big meeting and we ’ re hoping for a good run ”
Mohammed bin Hamad Khalifa Al Attiyah
FIRST CLASSS OR 124
2017 G Dahess x Toppoftheclass
The winner of three one million dollar races last year: the Al Mneefah Cup (ListedPA) over 2100m in Saudi Arabia, the Dubai Kahayla Classic (Gr1PA) over 2000m in Dubai and the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (Gr1PA) over 2200m in Abu Dhabi Looked like this trip was on the short side when fifth last season, however has plenty of speed having won over a mile at Delaware Park, and a Grade 3 over 1200m at Lone Star Park when racing in his native US at three years
Has a week’s longer break between this year ’ s Kahayla (when third to Hayyan) and Goodwood this season Renews partnership with Ronan Thomas who was in the plate for all three of his million-dollar wins
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First Classs (US) prepares for Goodwood with a gallop at Craon
JABALAH OR 112
2016 H Al Mamun Monlau x Kouthar
Lightly raced this winter in Doha, with two wins over a mile, including the HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani Cup (Gr2PA) on yielding ground Has twice been second in the Qatar International Cup at the Amir Sword meeting and meets both the winners, Samlla and AJS Saaeq again at Goodwood on his European debut Level of form not as strong as some of these, but a proven miler whose dam is a halfsister to Group 1PA winners Tabarak, Al Tair and Al Anqa. Got the better of Lady Princess in the Qatar three-year-old Derby, but only a short head in it and did not progress to the same level as she did thereafter.
Will be ridden for the first time by William Buick, who is also having his first ride in the race.
MOSHRIF OR 120
2018 H Dahess x Tashreefat
Half-brother to 2018 winner Muraaqib He’s been carefully managed by the same trainer, Francois Rohaut, first for the estate of his breeder Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum and latterly for Khalifa bin
Sheail Al Kuwari following the horses’ purchase at the Arqana PA sale in 2021 The Qatar Derby for three-year-olds over a mile has been his sole start at this trip and though a winner of that contest, beating Sahab, he’s not been tried again at that distance since Trainer has always considered him to have plenty of stamina, and was a clear second to Abbes in this year ’ s HH The Amir Sword (Gr1PA) over 2400m, finishing ahead of other top level performers such as Hoggar De L’Ardus, Lady Princess and First Classs
Renewed his winning partnership with Jim Crowley in the same Group3PA at La Teste (1900m) that Muraaqib used as his prep before winning this. Proven on good to soft with that win and when taking the French Arabian Breeders Challenge Classic – HH Sheikh Zayed Cup (Gr1PA) over 2200m in October last year.
"Moshrif always does what he is told and is easy to prepare Even if he runs with blinkers on, he is a horse that gives the best of himself We are satisfied with today's race [at la Teste], that's what we wanted to see ”
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Moshrif (FR) and Ryan Moore got to post for the 2023 HH The Amir Sword (Gr1PA)
Francois Rohaut
SAMLLA OR 120
2018 H Assy x Djakera Des Forges
Less than a length and a half off Lady Princess when third in this last year, having won the Qatar Derby des Pur Sang Arabes (Gr1PA) the previous month at Chantilly on good to soft Had the speed to win a Group 2PA over 1400m in the autumn at Toulouse, though that wasn’t as competitive an event as this, along with his prep race for Saudi on the All Weather at Pau in January Disappointing in the Obaiya Arabian Classic (Gr1PA), finishing fifth, he was five lengths off Moshrif back at La Teste last month after a long break and should definitely benefit from that run
Will have regular partner Maxime Guyon on board
“Samlla did a bit too much… plus, he doesn't really like soft ground [at la Teste]. I'm not worried, he will be fine for his purpose. We aim for the race at Goodwood."
Francois Rohaut
AL GHADEER OR 125
2019 C Al Mourtajez x Gharraa
Hugely exciting four-year-old who broke the track record when winning this year ’ s Qatar Derby des Pur Sang Arabes (Gr1PA) on the Prix de Diane card in
June Finished second on his juvenile debut in a Group 2PA but has been unbeaten in five Group races since, three at the highest level over 2000m and two Group 3PA’s over a mile, in France and Doha Highest rated three-year-old ever and now the highest rated four-year-old in Europe
His sire Al Mourtajez still holds the record time for this when winning in 2016, and will be his first runner to contest the race
Has Christophe Soumillon booked, who has ridden him to in all his Group 1PA wins
“Al Ghadeer is something special and is the dominant force of his generation The big guns are heading our way because we ’ re now going to have to take on the older horses That said, he’s one of the very best horses of his breed that I’ve been lucky enough to train. His turn of foot is something else. Today [at Chantilly] marked his final test before taking on the older horses. He’s a headstrong horse who needs his races to be run at a true gallop. Al Ghadeer has found it all so easy in his races because, so far, he’s only had to battle on just one occasion. That was at Doha. It’s all so easy for him. He’ll certainly be heading to Goodwood in August. The 1,600m trip will be perfect for him as he has a lot of speed It’s a pleasure to train such a horse ”
Francois Rohaut
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Samlla (FR) in the pre parade ring for the 2023 Obaiya Arabian Classic (Gr1PA)
EKLEEL ATHBAH OR 114
2018 M Laith Al Kahlediah x Manade Athbah
Met trouble in running when second in the Listed UAE President Cup over a mile in Baden Baden last year, but this speedy mare found the Al Mneefah Cup too great a test of stamina in February, finishing sixth.
Winner of the six furlong IFAHR Trophy (Gr2PA) at Chester this year, and the corresponding race at Newbury last year, she has won on easy ground and steps up to Group1PA company for the first time Sma Hitchcott, who rode her to break Newbury’s six furlong track record in 2022 and partnered her at Chester, is back on board at Goodwood
“We’re looking forward to running at Goodwood It’s a very strong field this year, the best from France and Qatar Obviously we know a bit about AJS Saaeq from the Chester race, I think he’ll be better back up to a mile We’re very pleased with Ekleel though, she came out of the Chester race well I think the demands of a track at Goodwood might just bring out a little bit more from her as tracks like Newbury and Doncaster, they’re too ordinary for her
Phil Collington
SAHAB OR 112
2018 M AF Albahar x Manella
Impressive winner of the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments (Gr1PA) over 2000m on the Saturday of Arc weekend in Paris last year in bottomless ground. Not so good against the colts as when second to Moshif in the Qatar Derby, as well as a fourth behind AJS Saaeq in the Qatar International Cup. She also reappeared at the La Teste fixture, contesting the Gr1PA Sheikh Mansoor Festival Criterium des Pouliches over 1900m She finished third behind Nour Al Maury and Lady Princess on her debut for Elizabeth Bernard, who trained the first ever winner of this race, Sir Bani Yas in 2015
Supplemented for the race and ridden for the first time by Oisin Murphy, who also won at the first attempt on Lady Princess in 2021
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Ekleel Athbah (FR) and Sam Hitchcott win the 2023 IFAHR Trophy (Gr2PA) at Chester
”
