QREC Launches Groundbreaking Races For Arabian Show Horses This Season

Doha, Qatar: In a pioneering move within Qatari horse racing, the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC), chaired by Hamad bin Abdulrahman Al-Attiyah, QREC Chaimran, has decided to introduce races for Purebred Arabian show horses, starting from the new season set to kick off next month.

This decision reflects Qatar's keen interest in Purebred Arabian show horses, the global championships held for this category in the country and Qatar's prominent standing in the world of Arabian show horses in general.

Accordingly, QREC will launch the new initiative with races reserved for Purebred Arabian show horses, beginning with nine races scheduled across the upcoming season.

Of these, eight races will be staged at Al Rayyan Racecourse and one at Al Uqda. These races have been included in the new season's programme, which has been announced.

They will be part of various race meetings rather than standalone race days exclusively dedicated to this category. Entries will only be accepted for local bred horses from Arabian show horse strain, as confirmed by QREC's Horse Show Section. Apprentice and Qatari rider allowances will not be claimed in any races of this series.

The first of these races will feature in the ninth meeting of the season, the Al Thakira Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, on 12 November, as Race 7 for maiden Purebred Arabian show mares aged four years and older over 1,000m.

The second will be staged in the 15th meeting, the Ras Laffan Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, as Race 7 for maiden Purebred Arabian showhorses aged four years and older over 1,000m.

The 18th meeting, the Bu Samrah Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, will include Race 7 for maiden Purebred Arabian show mares aged four years and older over 1,000m.

The 24th meeting, the Zekreet Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, will see the addition of a new race for maiden Purebred Arabian show horses aged four years and older over 1,000m.

The fifth race of this category will take place at the 31st meeting, the Umm Al Zubar Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, with a 1,000m race for four years and older Purebred Arabian show mares, which have not won more than one race.

In the 33rd meeting, the Baidda Algaa Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, Race 8 will be reserved for four years and older Purebred Arabian show horses, which have not won more than one race, and will be run over 1,000m.

The 45th meeting, the Ras Rokn Island Cup Day at Al Uqda dirt track, will feature Race 8 for Purebred Arabian show mares aged four years and older that have not won more than one race, to be run over 1,100m.

The 55th meeting, the Fuwairit Cup Day at Al Rayyan dirt track, will stage Race 7 for Purebred Arabian show horses aged four years and older that have not won more than one race, to be run over 1,100m.

The final race for this category will take place in the 66th meeting, the Qatar Gold Sword & Trophy Day at Al Rayyan. While the rest of the card will be contested on turf, this race alone will be run on the dirt track. It will be Race 5, the concluding contest for Purebred Arabian show horses and mares aged four years and older over 1,200m. Horses and mares which have won a qualifying race will have first priority to run.

Thereafter, preference will go to novice stallions and mares based on the number of times they have finished second, then third, then fourth. Horses that have not finished in the first four in the previous races will not be eligible to participate. Subsequently, maiden horses and mares will obtain priority to run based ontheir number of second, third and fourth places in this order.A horse or a mare without any placing in the first four in the previous races will not gain a run in this race.

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