Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club
Hours before the three-day H.H. The Amir Sword Festival kicks off at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park, the draw ceremony for the two US$ 1 million features each was held at Qatar National Museum on Wednesday, 17 February evening.
Sponsored by Al Hazm, the H.H. The Amir Sword (Gr1 PA) for pure Arabians will see long-time rivals TAYF and EBRAZ start next door from each at the wider end of the gates. Umm Qarn’s Tayf, trained by Alban Elie De Mieulle, will line up from Gate 14 under Ronan Thomas, while H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Doha Triple Crown winner Ebraz, saddled by Julian Colin Smart, will open from Gate 13 under Maxime Guyon.
De Mieulle also has Umm Qarn’s JABALAH and BIN GENERAL, and Al Shaqab’s GTNAH, who will start from gates 4, 10 and 3 respectively, in the 2400m contest. Smart too will saddle three more contenders, including Sheikh Khalifa Bin Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s MAXR, H.E. Sheikha Yasmeen Bint Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s MON’NIA and H.E. Sheikha Iman Bint Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s DAWI. While Mon’nia has the inside line from Gate 1, Maxr and Dawi will start from 5 and 7 respectively.
The 14-strong field features three runners from the stable of French handler Thomas Fourcy. The pick of the triumvirate is Julien Auge’s mount, Qatar Derby winner LADY PRINCESS, who will start from 8. Fourcy’s other representatives are the three-time Group 1 runner-up, MELABI (Jerome Cabre), and Faleh Bughanaim’s mount, KAIR AL CHAM. The Al Shaqab Racing-owned contenders will start from gates 2 and 11.
Hadi Al Ramzani trained AKMAR will start between Maxr and Dawi, while Osama Omer Al Dafea’s BAKER DE SAULARIE and GINKEAU will run out of Gates 9 and 12 respectively.
Presented by Longines, Saturday’s mile and a half (2400m) US$1 million H.H. The Amir Trophy is the Thoroughbred highlight of the Festival and will see British raider BERKSHIRE ROCCO, trained by Andrew Balding, take on nine local contenders for glory.
Berkshire Rocco, second last year at both Royal Ascot (in the Group 2 Queen’s Vase) and Doncaster (in the Group 1 St Leger), will start from gate 3.
Top locals include Sheikh Khalifa Bin Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s ASPETAR, Al Wasmiyah Farm’s NOOR AL HAWA and Injaaz Stud’s HELLENISTIQUE, and they will start from 8, 1 and 5 respectively.
Besides Aspetar, Smart has H.E. Sheikha Iman Bint Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s OFF HE GOES in the contest. The gelding will start from gate 2.
H.E. Sheikha Yasmeen Bint Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s STANDARD DEVIATION and H.E. Sheikha Reem Bint Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s PEDRO CARA, second and third in last year’s event, will start from gates 7 and 10 respectively.
Besides Qatar Derby hero Hellenistique, trainer Zuhair Mohsen also has Zakhir Racing’s MASTERPIECE in the line-up, and will start from Gate 6.
Hamad Al Jehani’s OTWO and Ahmed Kobeissi-trained QUELINDO complete the line-up and will start from 4 and 9 respectively.