30.06.2020

QATAR COUPE DE FRANCE DES CHEVAUX ARABES: Abbes showcases his talent

LA TESTE-DE-BUCH (FR), JUNE 18th, 2020

Gr2 PA - 3-year-olds – 1,600m (1m) - € 50.000

In the wake of his successful introduction, Abbes (TM Fred Texas) confirmed that he remains an above average prospect after making it two wins in as many starts. Despite proving somewhat intractable before the off, he showed his class in the Qatar Coupe de France des Chevaux Arabes (Gr2, PA), which was switched to La Teste-de-Buch this year. Trained by Thomas Fourcy, he carries the colours of his breeder, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani.

A class above the rest.  Majd’Or (Majd Al Arab) set out to make all although the pace was hardly a brisk one. Meanwhile, Abbes bided his time as he had only one behind him in the early stages. After sharply increasing the tempo, the pacesetter was still at the head of affairs half-way up the straight. However, Abbes, once asked to pick up by Olivier Peslier on the stands’ side, soon moved into overdrive. Consequently, he had any amount in hand when cruising into the lead, although he did slightly hamper Alfahar (Al Mamun Monlau) in the process. The latter was beaten a length and a half into second. Majd’Or completed the ‘podium’ in third.

One for the future. Thomas Fourcy said: "I’ve always held Abbes in high regard and I told  

Alban de Mieulle, who oversees the racing interests of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani, so. The horse continues to change physically and he should develop into a really good performer at the backend. I would put the problems that he gave before entering the stalls down to immaturity. He certainly gives us no problems in the mornings. Abbes doesn’t have a nasty streak and he just needs to learn. We will mull matters over with his connections but my initial thoughts are that he will have a quiet summer with a view to an end of season campaign. Abbes has shown both quality and precocity. However, the horse is changing ‘physically’ and so allowances need to be made for the ‘development’ process. I think that the horse can hold his own with the very good PA performers due to his relaxed style of racing, and he is also very laid back in the mornings and very eager to please. He has an engine and can only improve with age. It’s hard to fault him."

Fourcy gives the run down on his other runners. The trainer explained: "Julien Augé was very pleased with the performance of Majd’Or. They didn’t go very quick and he did his own thing in front. When he upped the tempo, the horse made a bright move but he doesn’t have the required class for a race such as this, and yet he hasn’t been disgraced after holding his own." Regarding the performance of the fourth Tembel de Pine (Af Albahar), he added: "His jockey said that he was travelling easily but, once he asked his mount to pick up, the response which had been evident in his previous race was lacking. He is proving to be very wayward. He has the ability to finish in the slipstream of Abbes, but he needs to apply himself mentally to the task in hand."

Alfahar is on the upgrade. Fifth on his debut, Alfahar stepped up markedly on that effort on his second career start. Élisabeth Bernard said of the runner-up: "I’m very happy as the colt has improved. He was very immature on his debut at Bordeaux-Le Bouscat. He shows signs of ability in the mornings. I had the impression that my horse was hampered 150m from the wire. He’s still immature and needs to gain the experience which develops from racing. However, I’m over the moon and have a real soft spot for him as both the sire and dam, Al Mamun Monlau (Munjiz) and Farh (Nizam), were both trained at our yard. It’s a great pleasure to handle the progeny of horses which we have trained back home, and ones that have given us much pleasure after proving to be performers of distinction."

A son of the high class mare Raqiyah. Bred by his owner at the Haras du Grand Courgeon, and having spent his pre-training period with Éric Ventrou, Abbes is bred in the purple. He’s a son of the US-bred TM Fred Texas (Burning Sand): the high quality Al Shaqab Racing sire based at the Haras de Thouars. His dam, Raqiyah (Amer), an authentic champion, won 15 races, including the Coupe de France (twice), the Doha Cup, the Qatar International Trophy, the Coupe d’Europe and the UK PA Derby (Gr1s PA). Her first foal, the distaffer Badda (Séraphin du Paon), won in Qatar. The mare has also produced a couple of juveniles, namely a colt by Kalino and a filly by Al Mamum Monlau, in addition to a yearling by Hilal Al Zaman.

The grandam has produced Neef (General), the winner of the Prix Chéri Bibi (Gr3 PA), plus Tameemah (Amer). The latter won ten races and was also third in the Qatar French Arabian Breeders' Challenge pour Pouliches de 4ans (Gr1 PA). The great grandam generated Prince d'Orient (Manganate), whose career highlights came in the Prix d'Abu Dhabi and the President of UAE (Gr1s PA). This is one of the ‘Pompadour’ lines and one which we readily associate with Berthe (Irmak).

LA TESTE-DE-BUCH (FRA), 18^th JUNE

QATAR COUPE DE FRANCE DES CHEVAUX ARABES

Gr2 - 3-year-olds - 1,600m - € 50,000

1^st        ABBES (58) C3

            (TM Fred Texas & Raqiyah, by Amer)

            Owner: H.H. Sheikh A. Bin Khalifa Al Thani

Breeder: Scea Haras de Victot

            Trainer: T. Fourcy

Jockey: O. Peslier       

2^nd       ALHAFAR (58) C3

            (Al Mamun Monlau & Farh, by Nizam)

            Owner & Breeder: Al Shaqab Racing

            Trainer: Mrs J.-F. Bernard

Jockey: J.-B. Eyquem

3^rd       MAJD'OR (58) C3

            (Majd Al Arab & Case d'Or, by Dormane)

            Owner: S. Al Kuwari

Breeder: Haras du Bosquet

            Trainer: T. Fourcy

Jockey: J. Augé          

Other runner(s) in finishing order: Tembel de Pine, Antar & Hafsa de Monlau.

All ran (6).

(Turf) Soft. 1'58"05. Distances: 1 1/2 - 3/4 - 2.