(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Fawad Hussain |
The Peninsula
Doha: Maxime Guyon-led Pao Alto stole the limelight on the second day of HH The Amir Sword Festival 2022, landing the Group 2 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup in a dominating fashion at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club.
Also yesterday, Al Shaqab Racing's Al Mirage, with Faleh Bughanaim in the saddle, registered a commanding victory to win the coveted Gulf Cup.
The Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup – the feature race of 34th Race Meeting offering a total prize money of $200,000 – produced exciting action with Guyon and Pao Alto displaying a clinical performance to emerge as winners.
When Markhor, guided by Anas Al Seyabi, dominated the backstretch to claim an early lead, Pao Alto was in the middle of the pack preparing for a surge in final stages of the 1600m race.
The Wertheimer & Frere's Pao Alto gelding then picked up the pace in second half of the race and was involved in a thrilling duel with Pretreville, which was ridden by Ronan Whelan.
Pretreville, however, was unable to match the pace of Christophe Ferland-trained Pao Alto, who took a clear lead in the final 200m. The five-year-old continued with the same pace to earn a clear 1.75-length victory and $114,000 for his team.
Pretreville had to content with second position while San Andreas, guided by Dylan Browne McMonagle, finished third in the race.
Meanwhile, H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani handed the Gulf Cup trophy to H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani after Al Mirage's brilliant victory in the $100,000 race.
The Eric Lemartinel-trained colt defeated Abida, which was steered by Olivier Peslier, with Inqath securing third position with jockey Lukas Delozier.
The Purebred Arabian Sprint Cup was won by Al Sakab Stud's Al Sij Al Sakab, which completed a half-length victory with jockey Tomas Lukasek. The race also offered $100,000 with the winners receiving $57,000.
Earlier, Abdulatif Hussain Al Emadi's Bab Al Rayyan completed a double by winning the 1400m Local Thoroughbred Trophy, giving first win of the day to jockey Guyon.
Also yesterday, Kadupul, with Tom Marquand in the saddle, was victorious in Filly and Mare Thoroughbred Rose, while Jim Crowley-helmed and Julian Smart-trained Bunglejungleparty claimed the Thoroughbred 3-Year-Old Open Cup.
The opening race of second day of the prestigious festival was won by Blue Star, with Ronan Thomas in the saddle, as they paired up to claim the Local Purebred Arabian Graduation Cup, followed by a win for Althagab and jockey Pranil Arvind Kharat in the Purebred Arabian Maiden Cup.
Meanwhile, QREC's Director of Public Relations and External Communications Imran Muhammad Darwish expressed his delight on a huge turnout of fans, who are enjoying many fun activities besides watching the thrilling action.
“HH The Amir Sword Festival has attracted a good number of fans and it is turning out to be a huge success like always. The final day will feature top contenders and surely all the races will be exciting,” he said.
Stage set for HH The Amir Sword race
Today the prestigious three-day festival will come to a close with the highly-anticipated HH The Amir Sword race, which will see top entries in action.
Ebraz, which completed a hat-trick by winning the 2020 edition and defending champion Mon'nia are also among the competitors in the $1m race.
The feature event will be the eighth race of the final day of the three-day festival.
HH The Amir Sword Festival Day 2
34th Race Meeting - Irish Thoroughbred
Marketing Cup: Winners
Horse, Trainer, Jockey
IRISH THOROUGHBRED MARKETING CUP (QA Gr2)
THOROUGHBREDS (Class 1)
Pao Alto, Christophe Ferland, Maxime Guyon
GULF CUP
Al Mirage, Eric Lemartinel, Faleh Bughanaim
PUREBRED ARABIAN SPRINT CUP
Al Sij Al Sakab, Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki, Tomas Lukasek
LOCAL THOROUGHBRED TROPHY
Bab Al Rayyan, Bader Al Balushi, Maxime Guyon
FILLY AND MARE THOROUGHBRED ROSE (Class 2)
Kadupul, Georges Mikhalides, Tom Marquand
THOROUGHBRED 3 YEAR OLD OPEN CUP (Class 2)
Bunglejungleparty, Julian Colin Smart, Jim Crowley
PUREBRED ARABIAN MAIDEN CUP
Althagab, Eric Lemartinel, Pranil Arvind Kharat
LOCAL PUREBRED ARABIAN GRADUATION CUP
(Fillies & Mares)
Blue Star, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Ronan Thomas
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