trophy poulains 29 09 GB

SAINT-CLOUD (FRA), SEPTEMBER 29th, 2023

QATAR ARABIAN TROPHY DES POULAINS

Gr1 PA – 3-year-old colts & geldings – 2,000m (10f) – Turf – €100,000

Afjan Ex Mahboop’s turn of foot makes the difference

Afjan Ex Mahboop (TM Fred Texas) clearly bears the imprint of his sire and his ability to move through the gears. This proved to be a very useful weapon in the armoury of the Al Shaqab owned and bred runner, and one which he put to good use in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains (Gr1 PA). The front-running Al Zwair (TM Fred Texas) ensured a good gallop. The future winner, meanwhile, sat in second last position under Christophe Soumillon, whose mount made headway on the farside rail. Finding himself behind a wall of horses 200m from the finish Afjan Ex Mahboop was subsequently switched round Extra Time ( Valiant Boy). The colt took a little time to find his stride and so Christophe Soumillon did not rush his mount. However, once in full cry, Afjan Ex Mahboop delivered the knockout blow, having emerged victorious on account of his turn of foot. The brave Extra Time was unable to resist the winner’s surge and he went down by the narrowest of margins. Kanti de Bozouls (No Risk Al Maury) was three-quarters of a length further away in third.

Marking his return to the top of the tree

François Rohaut saddled the victorious Al Ghadeer (Al Mourtajez) in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA) two days later. The pressure was really on from the start, and so the fact of winning a Gr1 PA race with a 3-y-old in the same ownership 48 hours earlier was invariably a good omen. François Rohaut said: « We shouldn’t have made the running with the colt at La Teste. You have to bury this particular horse in the pack, and get him to switch off as he can get a bit wound up. He possesses a considerable turn of foot. There were three main contenders in the race, and Afjan Ex Mahboop yet again proved superior to Extra Time, and the latter again ran up to a good mark. My charge has potential but he’s still immature. He’s now going to have a break. He’s a smart colt, and courageous too, but this particular generation isn’t necessarily a vintage one. »

Deauville form put to the test

Extra Time and Kanti de Bozouls, the first and third home in the Al Rayyan Cup – Prix Kesberoy (Gr1 PA) at Deauville in the summer, respectively filled second and third at Saint-Cloud. David Morisson said: « Extra Time had done the hard part by taking the lead…only to ease up towards finish. Not a colt who is smartly away from the gates, he needs blinkers. He exudes quality. Admittedly, I’m a bit disappointed to be beaten in this way. However, the best horses in the race were concerned at the finish and that’s invariably a good sign. » Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte opined: « Kanti de Bozouls gave a good account of himself, and he has made a lot of progress since Deauville. We have been easy on him and his freshness helped him. Mentally, he has improved too. »

The brother of Mezown

Bred by Al Shaqab Racing, Afjan Ex Mahboop is a son of TM Fred Texas (Burning Sand), and himself an excellent Shaqab “home-based” stallion now based in Qatar. He’s the second PA group winner generated by the unraced Muzoon (Amer). The mare also produced Mezown (Al Mamun Monlau): the winner of the Royal Cavalry Oman – Prix Tidjani (Gr3).

The grandam has produced Motrag (Amer), the Arabian Trophy des Poulains (Gr1 PA) victor, and Jeyoosh (Amer). The latter won the Grand Prix de S.A.R. le Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan (Gr3 PA), in addition to boasting a second in the Qatar Total Arabian Trophy des Juments (Gr1 PA). Divana (Dormane), the great grandam of Afjan Ex Mahboop, yielded the stallion Divamer (Amer). This is the line of the Emir’s Sword (Gr1 PA) winner Dhemis (Daham).

THE RACE SEEN AGAINST THE CLOCK

SECTIONAL TIMES

First 1.000m : 1m ’09’’76s

From 1.000m to 600m : 29’’26s

From 600m to 400m : 13’’19s

From 400m to 200m : 12’’71s

Final 200m: 12’’98

Final time: 2m 17’’90s