Alkass Digital
In presence of the Qatar Olympic Committee President H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, the events of the Qatar Goodwood Festival continued yesterday at the Goodwood Racecourse, UK.
The five-day Festival will continue up to Saturday.
H E Sheikh Joaan crowned the winners of the second day’s most prestigious races; the Gr1 PA Qatar International Stakes and the Gr1 Qatar Sussex Stakes. Present at the events of the day were Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Kingdom H E Fahad Bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) Chairman Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, QREC Acting CEO Bader Mohammed Al Darwish, QREC Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi, QREC Marketing Director Salem Khejaim Al Adbi, QREC Public Relations and External Communications Director Dr Nasser Ahmed Al Hamar, and QREC CEO Office Director Saoud Hamad Al Hababi.
The second day of the 2023 renewal of the Festival had an eight-race card and the start was a with a massive Qatari victory when the Al Shaqab Racing-owned Al Ghadeer (Al Mourtajez x Gharraa) landed the title of the Group 1 PA Qatar International Stakes.
With this victory under his belt, Al Ghadeer now boasts an incredible record of six consecutive group victories, including four Group 1s and two Group 3s in only seven career starts so far. He also managed to keep the title Qatari for the fifth year in a row.
Following this win, Sheikh Joaan presented the trophies to the winners, Al Shaqab Racing.
No stopping Al Ghadeer at Qatar Goodwood Festival
The richest Arabian race on the British racing calendar, the Gr.1 (PA) Qatar International Stakes worth £400,000 in prize money produced yet another thrilling finish and went the way of Al Ghadeer in the colours of Al Shaqab Racing.
As was announced by his trainer Francois Rohaut following his Gr.1 (PA) success on Prix De Diane day at Chantilly, the Al Shaqab Racing-owned four-year-old Arabian Al Ghadeer not only turned up on Day 2 of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, but also dominated the proceedings to land the Gr.1 (PA) Qatar International Stakes.
Partnered by Christophe Soumillon in a select field of eight, of which three quarters were French trained, Al Ghadeer vied for favouritism with his stablemate Moshrif (Dahess) before the off, of the 1600m Gr.1 (PA) contest. The only four-year-old in the field and already seeking a fourth success at the highest level, Al Ghadeer travelled strongly in mid-peloton, in a race taken along by Moshrif.
Qatar Olympic Committee President H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani crowned the winner of Qatar Sussex Stakes after the Coolmore Associates-owned Paddington clinched his 4th Group 1 race victory.
Showing his class on the decent towards home, Soumillon allowed the colt to take closer order and the pair duly put the race to bed in a matter of strides. Al Ghadeer cruised into the lead, passing stablemate Moshrif and passing the post with three and a half lengths to spare over the game, but never-nearer First Classs (Dahess), who finished second for owner Noora Racing, trainer Jean de Mieulle and jockey Ronan Thomas. The H E Sheikha Reem bint Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani-owned Samlla (Assy) ran his usual courageous race and like in the 2022 edition, seized the third place, for the winning trainer Francois Rohaut, late on as he was a further half length behind under jockey Maxime Guyon.
Bred by Mohammad Al Najafi, Al Ghadeer was the leading French three-year-old colt (PA) in 2022 and landed both the Gr.1 (PA) Al Rayyan Cup at Deauville and the Gr.1 (PA) Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains at Saint-Cloud.
Paddington from pillar to post in Qatar Sussex Stakes
The superstar 3yo Paddington won his 4th Group 1 in the Qatar Sussex Stakes (Gr.1). Trained by Aidan O’Brien for the Coolmore Associates, Westerberg and Peter Brant, Paddington was very much the best and won from pillar to post on testing conditions which were a bit of an unknown at this level.
Sheikh Joaan presented the trophies to the winners after the race.
Trained by Jérôme Reynier, the French raider Facteur Cheval had proven form on very soft ground and relished the conditions. The 4yo is a very good second one length and a half behind Paddington, despite not having a clear run at the beginning of the home straight. Charyn, the other 3yo in the race, is third three lengths behind.
Paddington has now won four Groups 1 in the space of ten weeks, after the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Eclipse Stakes.
Jockey Christophe Soumillon guides Al Ghadeer to Qatar International Stakes victory at the Goodwood Racecourse, yesterday.
He had already beaten his elders in the Eclipse but over 10 furlongs. At the Qatar Sussex Stakes, he was coming back on the mile.
Bred in France at the Ecurie des Monceaux for Dayton Investments, Paddington is a son of Siyouni and was a €420,000 yearling at Arqana in August 2021. He is out of Modern Eagle, a daughter of Montjeu who showed some stamina on the track, winning the Prix Belle de Nuit (L). She had already produced a black type performer in the multiple Listed placed Masterpiece. The second dam, Millionaia, was second in the Prix de Diane (Gr.1) and the third dam, Moonlight Dance, won the Prix Saint-Alary (Gr.1).
Exciting renewal of the Qatar Nassau Stakes on Day 3
The racing action and thrill continue on the third day of the Festival today, with an eight-race card and the feature is the Gr1 Qatar Nassau Stakes for 3YO+ fillies and mares. Six runners will take on each other for the coveted title. The leading 3-year-old filly in Europe, dual French Classic winner Blue Rose Cen has made the trip from Chantilly to the Sussex Downs where she will look to extend her unbeaten record in her last five outings. In what is undoubtedly going to be a thrilling showdown, she will be facing last year’s victrix, the 4-year-old Nashwa - also a French Classic winner, having taken the Prix De Diane on route to the Qatar Nassau Stakes in 2022.
Nashwa arrives at the race off a five-length victory on her return to competition. Four rivals take on these two top classes fillies; Al Husn, Above The Curve, Caernarfon and Never Ending Story. Not to be missed!