QAWC 01 10 GB

PARISLONGCHAMP (FRA), OCTOBER 1st, 2023

QATAR ARABIAN WORLD CUP
Gr1 PA – 4-year-olds and up – 2,000m (10f) – Turf – €1,000,000

Al Ghadeer edges ever closer to the PA Triple Crown

He is quite simply the horse that returned the shortest odds during the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr1) weekend: having been sent off at 5-1 on! The confidence levels regarding the chances of Al Ghadeer (Al Mourtajez) were clearly huge. And the Al Shaqab Racing star, without barely turning a hair, sluiced home in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA). The world’s top PA 3-year-old of 2022, he has now, at the age of four, established himself as the star turn of the horses-in-training division [on the global stage]. A true champion, the real deal.

Clearly very superior to his rivals

The Christophe Soumillon-ridden Al Ghadeer initially raced towards the rear, with the future winner showing a tendency to pull at this stage, as the pace was not strong enough. Mezown (Al Mamun Monlau) set the early pace until the beginning of the straight. Al Ghadeer, on the other hand, appeared on the scene progressively. Halfway up the straight, the colt clearly had  enough plenty left in the locker. Meanwhile, the game Al Doha (Al Mourtajez) dug deep and stayed in the fight – to the point that she loomed threateningly 250m from the wire. However, Al Ghadeer is a potent force and he stamped his class by finding another gear to score a two lengths victory. Al Doha ran a blinder to be second, with Ch’Ezza (Af Albahar) claiming minor honours.

François Rohaut records his second win in the race

The trainer of Al Ghadeer (first) and Ch’Ezza (third), François Rohaut was recording his second win in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA): «When I won the race for the first time, the judge took a full 20 minutes, of intense forensic examination, before determining the winner. There was no need for a print out this time around! The team put their heart and soul into preparing the three horses for this race and the trio responded. The race was magnificent. The race lacked a bit of pace and Al Ghadeer raced a bit freely initially. He subsequently relaxed and everything was straight forward from then on. He effortlessly quickened into the lead before finishing off. It’s magical. Ch’Ezza ran a magnificent race, as usual. The veteran, Rajeh, also ran a blinder. I love PA horses as they’re a joy to be around. We saw a champion out there.The real deal. Qatar does a lot for French racing. They deserve the utmost `respect. Al Ghadeer is an extraordinary horse. He deserved to win today. I hope he remains in rude health for a long time to come which will enable him to win all the top races in the future, including this same World Cup. He has a fantastic mindset. After his victory over a mile in the Goodwood mud, followed by that in today’s 2,000m feature at Longchamp, he will head to Doha for the third and final leg of the Triple Crown during the winter. He acts on all types of ground. The only question mark is the 2,400m course at Doha. »

Al Doha runs a blinder

Thomas Fourcy trains the second Al Doha (2e). He said: « Al Doha is very, very good. She simply came across a horse from another planet. I can only reiterate what I said before the race, and namely that the filly was at her peak, and so able to give Al Ghadeer a run for his money. That’s what materialised. She has made further progress. Al Ghadeer beat Al Doha by six lengths at Chantilly, but today that gap has narrowed to two lengths. My ‘filly’ is progressing and improving with age. Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani was on hand to see her race, and he asked me if we could aim at her at the Emir’s Sword over 2,400m at Doha: a distance that is well within her compass. Last February, I was not in favor of making the trip [to Qatar]. As it was necessary at the time to ‘back off’ and give her a break. As for my other runners, Hadi de Carrère didn’t have his ground, whereas Moshrif remains something of a mystery. He was less incisive than previously. »

Out of a mare that won at two!

Bred in France by the Iraqi national Mohammad Al-Najafi, Al Ghadeer is a son of Al Mourtajez (Dahess), who enjoys the reputation of being the Frankel (Galileo) of the PA world. His dam, Gharraa (Matador 12) was a very classy mare, having won the Critérium des Pouliches (Gr2 PA), and distinguished herself at the highest level in Turkey. In the initial stages of her career, spent in Iraq, she was a multiple winner at two over distances ranging from 1400m to 1600m. She has already produced Durat Al Zaman (Hilal Al Zaman), the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments (4-year-old fillies, Gr1 PA) fourth. Above all, she made her mark [in the breeding shed] as the dam of Ghurat Al Zaman (Hilal Al Zaman). The latter won the Prix Damas (Gr3 PA) and the Qatar Prix de l’Élevage (Gr2 PA). The grandam has produced Al Harith(Asad Saif), the Zaabeel International Stakes (Gr1 PA) third at Newbury, and above all Laith (Al Yaboob): the winner of the Iraqi 2,000 Guineas and the division leader of his generation in Iraq. Mohammed Al Nujaifi, the breeder, and Val Bunting, his advisor, chimed: « It’s the reward which results from the work undertaken over a long period of time. It’s down to team work and the breeding of horses over many years. It’s a great moment for our breeding operation. » Al Ghadeer was acquired as a horse in training by Paul Basquin (privately) on behalf Al Wasmiyah Racing (the second of the horse’s three owners), in common with Ch’Ezza and Rajeh (fourth). Al Ghadeer was foaled at the breeding establishment of Val Bunting, before transferring to the Haras de Mandore where he was reared.

LES CHRONOS

TEMPS PARTIELS

Départ à 1.000m : 1’09’’95

De 1.000m à 600m : 25’’68

De 600m à 400m : 12’’39

De 400m à 200m : 12’’16

De 200m à l’arrivée : 11’’99

Temps total : 2’12’’17