Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club
H.H Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani celebrated a new winner at Toulouse on Saturday, 22 May rounding up an excellent day of racing including the Qatar Prix de l’Élevage (Gr2 PA), when his homebred FATEN (Anodin x Visomiya) took the Prix du Grand Balcon.
This 4-year-old filly, who was running over 2,400 meters, secured a 1¼ victory in the hands of Olivier Peslier. She sat in third position, just behind the leaders. A steady pace was set by ISOLATOR (IRE) (Dabirsim x Ceedwell). In the final turn, she sat patiently as her rivals began to come up to challenge. In the straight, Peslier sat quietly until the 200-meter mark, and they came up between horses to run strongly to the line. NUUK (IRE) (Kendargentx Mountain Rose) finished second in front of I AM A DREAM (FR) (Dunkerque x Rose Rose). This was a second career victory for this consistent filly.
Out of Visomiya, FATEN’s second dam is the LINAMIX mare VISORAMA, dam of champion stayer VAZIRABAD.
The Purebred Arabian colt HM AL SAKEB (Azadi x Morgane de Piboul) opened his scorecard on Saturday for the colours of Al Shaqab Racing in the Prix de l’Hippodrome de Toulouse, a conditions race for 4-year-old Purebred Arabians who have not yet won a Group race. Trained by Thomas Fourcy, HM AL SAKEB was having just his third start on a racetrack. He debuted in October as a 3-year-old for his owner and breeders Hassan and Nada Mousalli, with a fourth place, before his seasonal reappearance in 2021 for a promising 2nd place at La Teste de Buch on the 16th of April, after which he passed under the silver and burgundy silks of Al Shaqab Racing.
The racy chestnut colt went quickly from his wide draw to sit just behind the pacemakers in this 2,100m race. Moving into second on the first bend, he looked to be travelling strongly in behind ALRAZEEN (Josco Du Cayrou x Rasheeqah). Jockey Julien Augé allowed him to come up to sit on the flanks of ALRAZEEN in the final turn. Sitting patiently, he waited until inside the two-hundred-meter post before sending HM AL SAKEB to the front. Having conserved his partner’s energy, HM AL SAKEB was able to show a nice turn of foot in the final 100 meters to win by a comfortable 1 ¼ lengths in front of HAHLEM EL AHLEM (Jalnar Al Khalidiah x Myrzam) with ALRAZEEN holding on to third.
HM AL SAKEB is out of the Djourman mare MORGANE DE PIBOUL, dam of several winners including top class Group performer AL MOUWAFFAK, who also carried the Al Shaqab silks, amongst others.