His Excellency Issa bin Mohammed Al-Mohannadi, QREC Chairman, commended the success of the Qatar International Derby Festival with many international runners present at the races of the Festival in line with the QREC’s aim to attract international horse connections to contest in Qatar.

We would like to thank His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani for His Excellency’s presence at the conclusion of the Festival, he said, We would like also to thank His Excellency Mr Salah bin Ghanem Al-Ali, the Minister of Culture and Sports, for patronising the Festival and crowning the winners. In fact, the presence of dignitaries is in favour of Qatar’s horseracing in general as it demonstrates their support to QREC-organised events.

It is wonderful to see such a large number of international runners at the Qatar International Derby as it reflects the excellent reputation of our horse racing. On the other hand, QREC has been preparing, for a long time now, Qatari jockeys to ride in racing events organised at Al Rayyan Park. The programme developed for this purpose has started to pay off with the participation of 16 Qatari jockeys in training camps conducted overseas. Some of them have already done a very good job at our racing events this season. The QREC Management is committed to continue the support for Qatari jockeys and give them more opportunities to ride at races regularly, he added.

Source: Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club

In the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Qatar International Derby Festival came to a spectacular end on Saturday 21 December, with His Excellency Mr Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, Minister of Culture and Sports, crowning the winners at the Al Rayyan Park.

H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani’s PEDRO CARA (Pedro The Great x Magic Cara) started wide, but showed some impressive pace on the home straight in the Gr 2 QATAR DERBY (3YO THOROUGHBREDS / Class 1) to win the USD 500,000 race. In the 2000m run, the gelding, ridden by Tony Piccone, who had helmed the 3YO in a listed victory in July this year, stayed in the rear half of the field before making his way on the outside on the home straight for a fine win with a length and a quarter to spare. The Andrew Balding-trained UK raider BANGKOK (Australia x Tanaghum) finished runner up for the second straight outing, this time under Silvestre De Sousa. Sheikh Faisal Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani’s AL GAZI (Havana Gold x Rock Lily), saddled by Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki, completed the top three under Anas Al Seyabi.

Al Shaqab Racing’s SHALAA (Dahess x Dormadora) made good his trip from France when the Thomas Fourcy-trained colt landed the Gr3 PA QATAR DERBY (4YO PUREBRED ARABIANS) in fine form. The USD 150,000 Purebred Arabian feature saw Julien Auge astride SHALAA who made a run for the victory on the home straight against an all-colt field. In pursuit were three of Alban Elie Marie De Mieulle’s wards, including early leader Umm Qarn’s BIN GENERAL (General x Noorah), who held his own under Olivier Peslier to finish runner up, ahead of stablemate MARID (TM Fred Texas x Al Dahma), who ran on the back of a Guineas victory last month. Another Al Shaqab Racing contender, Meblish, was impressive under Faleh Bughanaim to come from the back of the pack to complete the frame for De Mieulle.

Umm Qarn’s JABALAH (Al Mamun Monlau x Kouthar) led from gates to post in a spectacular run to take his second straight victory. Alban Elie Marie De Mieulle’s ward had Soufiane Saadi for company and the duo set the pace up front in the Gr1 PA mile long QATAR DERBY (3YO PUREBRED ARABIANS) and then survived a threatening pursuit from Thomas Fourcy’s French Raider LADY PRINCESS (General x Nacree Al Maury), who made a late charge under Julien Auge in the colours of Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari, which was good enough for a close second. Another French contender, BATTASH DE FAUST (AF AlBahar x Ayisha De Faust), helmed by Adrie De Vries for trainer Jean Francois Bernard in the colours of Abdulla Mohamed Al Attiya, rounded the top three.

Abdulatif Hussain Al Emadi’s BLACK PEARL (Footstepsinthesand x Ella) stayed unbeaten, having won the two previous outings, including the Local Thoroughbred Guineas last month, as the Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki-trained gelding topped the QATAR DERBY (3YO LOCAL THOROUGHBREDS) in a thrilling finish. With Eduardo Pedroza in the saddle, Black Pearl tracked early leader Sky Blue before Pedroza made the move a far way out from the post coming off the new far bend at the turf track. However, Black Pearl stayed in front to win by a length and a quarter, even as the Stefano Ibido-saddled IFREET (Toronado x Bella Varenna), ridden by Luca Maniezzi in the colours of Abdulhadi Mana Al Hajri, ensured that Al Malki’s wards did not sweep the top three spots. The Tomas Lukasek-ridden AL KHOR SURPRISE (Abide With Me x Arabian Art) was third while Sea The Light was fourth under Anas Al Seyabi.

Al Jeryan Stud’s AJS SOGHAN (AF AlBahar x Anayid) shed his maiden status after following up his C and D third place finish with a victory in the LOCAL PUREBRED ARABIAN PLATE (3 Year Olds). In the mile long race, Alexander Reznikov was in the saddle for the Hadi Nasser Rashid Al Ramzani-trained horse once again and the two did enough to beat the Marco Casamento-ridden Dalilak by a neck at the post. The win was Al Ramzani’s third straight on the day and the second for the colours of Al Jeryan Stud.

Nasser Owaida Salem Al Hajri’s ON THE FRONT LINE (War Front x Aristocratic Lady) picked up a C and D victory with Ronan Thomas once again in the saddle for the Hadi Nasser Rashid Al Ramzani-schooled horse. In the THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 3) (75-95), the Frenchman and his partner mounted a late charge on the outside closer to the post when Pierantonio Convertino too joined the pursuit astride Felix Leiter. On The Front Line, however, managed to edge the latter out by a short head.

After a hit and miss season last time round, Al Jeryan Stud’s SARAT ABHA (Footstepsinthesand x Shesamystery) is making up for lost time this season. The Hadi Nasser Rashid Al Ramzani-schooled filly raced to her third victory this season out of six outings when she landed the LOCAL THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (80 and below) in dominant fashion. Under Tomas Lukasek in the mile long race, there was little stopping the filly once she got going on the straight, winning by five and a half lengths.

Mansoor Ebrahim Al Mahmoud’s BRAEMAR (Oasis Dream x Spectacle) went one better than his last outing to shed his maiden status in comfortable fashion. In the THOROUGHBRED MAIDEN PLATE (Class 6), the Gassim Mohammad Ghazali-trained colt had Theo Bachelot for company in the 1850m race and the two finally ensured the colt registered his maiden victory on his ninth outing at Al Rayyan Park.

Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah’s NAIMA (TM Fred Texas x Al Zubarah) made it two in a row when she topped the LOCAL PUREBRED ARABIAN NOVICE PLATE. It was the Oaks winning rider Ryan Curatolo who was in the saddle for the Ahmed Mohamad Kobeissi-schooled filly and the two ensured a thrilling finish to the 1850m race with a quarter of a length victory on the 4YO’s fifth career outing.

Source: Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club

Under the patronage of His Excellency Mr. Salah bin Ghanem Al-Ali, Minister of Culture and Sports, the successful Qatar International Derby Festival, was organised over two days at QREC Al Rayyan Park. His Excellency the Minister lauded the remarkable progress of the racing events organised by QREC in Qatar and QREC’s role in promoting Qatar’s equestrian sports.

QREC has demonstrated its commitment to Qatari jockeys, said His Excellency the Minister, through the training and qualifying programme and their regular training camps in South Africa. The QREC’s programme has started to pay off with eight Qatari jockeys riding and doing well at the Festival races. Qatar’s horseracing will see more progress in the future given the current positive development of all disciplines of Qatar’s equestrian sport.

Source: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club