His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, crowned His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Joaan Al Thani after the horse “Al Ghadeer” owned by Al Shaqab Racing won the Qatar International Stakes (Group 1) for purebred Arabian horses yesterday on the second day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival at the prestigious Goodwood Racecourse in the United Kingdom. This victory is repeated for the second year in a row, confirming that the horse “Al Ghadeer” is the best purebred Arabian horse currently after excelling on more than one racecourse around the world.
After the end of the same round, His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani, Qatar’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, crowned the trainer Francois Roux, trainer of the horse “Al Ghadeer”, and the jockey Christophe Soumillon after this great victory that confirms Qatar’s leadership in Arabian horse racing worldwide.
Great superiority for “Al Ghadeer”
The victory of the horse “Al Ghadeer” (Al Murtajaz) came amid strong and fierce competition from the rest of the horses participating in the round, with the interaction of tens of thousands of fans who are keen to attend the Qatar Goodwood Festival during its five days. The champion horse “Al Ghadeer” repeated the victory in the same round for the second year in a row, achieving its first steps towards retaining the Doha Triple Crown for the second time in a row as well.
The round witnessed the superiority of another horse from Al Shaqab Racing, with the mare “Al Wakra” (TM Fred Texas) also taking second place behind “Al Ghadeer”, to make the first two places in the big round in favor of Al Shaqab Racing, amidst great joy for the Qatari delegation participating in the festival. The horse “Al Ghadeer” gave a dazzling performance in the Qatar International Stakes, a Group 1 race for purebred Arabian horses, on the second day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, achieving victory and the title for the second time in a row, adding his seventh Group 1 victory to his record. His Excellency Sheikh Joaan crowns Godolphin
His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, also crowned the winners of the Qatar Sussex Stakes, a Group 1 race for Thoroughbred horses, which was won by the colt “Notable Speech” owned by Godolphin, supervised by trainer Charlie Appleby and ridden by jockey William Buick. This race is considered one of the most important races in the festival yesterday, and this race has the largest prize money in the festival, amounting to one million pounds sterling. The race witnessed strong competition until the decision came in favor of Godolphin.
After winning the big title, the winning jockey said: “I feel happy and I give all the credit to the team. They did a lot of work to achieve this great achievement and restore the level of this horse after he showed less than expected in the St. James’s Stakes. However, by regaining his level, he proved his excellence, and I feel proud and honored to ride him.”
Qatari victories continue
Qatar’s victories did not stop there yesterday, as Al Shaqab Racing achieved a second victory and Wathnan Racing achieved its first two wins in the festival this year, with the filly “Al Anoud”, owned and bred by Al Shaqab Racing, taking first place in the British Stallion Studs, a handicap for female Thoroughbreds aged 3 years and above, over a distance of 2000 metres, under the supervision of trainer Ralph Beckett and ridden by jockey Hector Crouch. The four-year-old filly achieved her third victory in her fifth participation after a strong performance that earned her praise for her level and ability to win titles on the biggest tracks. After the end of the round with “Al Anoud”’s victory, His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Joaan Al Thani received the British Stallion Studs Fillies Handicap Award from Ed Harper, Director of the Westbury Manor Stud and the European Breeders Fund.