01.10.2020

THE QATAR ARABIAN WORLD CUP (Gr1 PA): a 2020 edition of the highest calibre!

At time of writing, the list of entries in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA) has yet to be published. However, as we get nearer the date of the big race on October 4^th, our aim is to highlight the probable leading contenders.

EBRAZ (H7)

Owner: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani

Breeder: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani

Trainer: Julian Smart

Ebraz (Amer) is the defending champion of the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA), a race in which he has also twice finished second. After his victory in the Qatar International Stakes (Gr1) in August, Julian Smart told us: "I’ve never doubted my horse, even when he was beaten at La Teste. Like last year, we will head directly to the Qatar Arabian World Cup - hoping for the same result!" Ebraz has the peculiarity of having shown the required precocity to win the Amir Sword (Gr1 PA) as a 4-year-old, and yet to still be at the top of his game at the age of seven. In common with last season, he will attempt to complete the PA Triple Crown sweep: the brainchild of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club.

FAZZA AL KHALEDIAH (H6)

Owner: Polska Akf Sp Zoo

Breeder: Al Khalediah Stables

Trainer: Michal Borkowski

After the victory of Fazza Al Khalediah (Jalnar Al Khalidiah) in the Qatar Cup - Prix Dragon (Gr1 PA), Hubert Kulesza, the racing manager of Al Khalediah Stables, told us: "We were beaten at Deauville when we planned to come with a steady run. This race was a good preparation for Fazza Al Khalediah. Nevertheless, he was well beaten and so we reasoned that he would need another race before the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA)." Christophe Soumillon told Equidia: "They told me that the horse was far from being 100 per cent today, so they wanted to give the horse a bit of a workout with the aim of fine-tuning him for the Arc weekend..." The surprise winner of the 2018 Qatar Arabian World Cup, and subsequently three times second at this level on the Gulf circuit, Fazza Al Khalediah was sidelined from March 2019 to February 2020.

HAYYAN (H5)

Owner: Yas Horse Racing Management

Breeder: His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Trainer: Frédéric Sanchez

Hayyan (Munjiz) again showed his class in the Doha Cup (Gr1 PA), the third Gr1 PA win of his career, in the wake of his successes in the Qatar Derby des 4ans and the President of the UAE Cup. The Frédéric Sanchez charge is clearly a serious player in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA). The trainer said after the Qatar Prix de l’Élevage (Gr2 PA): "He was clearly the one to beat. After all, he was a dual Gr1 PA last year when capturing the French and English PA Derbies. On this occasion he wasn’t 100 per cent and was carrying a two kilo (4lb) penalty. My aim is a top three finish in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA)... but why not try to win it? Anthony Crastus knew how to get the horse to switch off as he can race keenly. He showed a neat turn of foot and his jockey was very taken with the performance.  His rider gave him a slap at the end, but it was my idea, as I had warned him that the horse can idle once in front. He sought to take no chances, but the horse would have won under a hand ride in any case. This race wasn’t the target as he was only 70 to 80 per cent fit. He surprised me because I didn't think that he was capable of winning in that manner."

KHATAAB (H8)

Owner: Al Shaqab Racing

Breeder: Alban de Mieulle

Trainer: Thomas Fourcy

After the Doha Cup - Prix Manganate (Gr1 PA), Thomas Fourcy said of the third-placed Khataab (Dahesss): "Khataab ran his race. He was a bit sluggish at the start and found it hard to get going, before finishing with a flourish. We know him well and he’s an autumn horse. Today, despite the rains, the track wasn’t that heavy. His goal is the Qatar Arabian World Cup. In line in how he has been campaigned in previous seasons, he will now head directly to that race. We aren’t going to change anything! He didn't race in the spring because we opted to take the plunge by campaigning him at Doha, so we left him alone after that. He’s an 8 year-old but remains in prime condition." A Gr1 PA winner, Khataab has twice finished second in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA).

MASH.H.UR AL KHALEDIAH (H6)

Owner: Athbah Stud

Breeder: Al Khalediah Stables

Trainer: Philip Collington

Philip Collington trains Mashhur Al Khalediah (Jalnar Al Khalidiah), the 2019 Qatar Arabian World (Gr1 PA) third, on behalf of the Athbah Stud. His charge is coming off a Waregem defeat and he said: "It was a rough race and we easily beat Messi at Mons last year, but this is a specialists’ track and Messi won here in similar fashion last month. Mashhur hasn’t been back from Saudi Arabia for that long, and probably wasn’t 100 per cent fit. Our original plan had been to go to Baden-Baden with him for the UAE President Cup race which he won last year, and then on to the Arc meeting, but, with the current situation, we just wanted to give him a run. If we can go to Germany we will, but he’s now had at least one run before the Arabian World Cup which is his main target."

What of the remaining contenders? The 2020 season has been suffered a lot of disruption owing to the Covid-19 crisis, and, at the time of writing, we don't know whether Tayf (Amer) and Deryan (Mahabb) will contest the big race. Kim Augenbroe, the trainer of Lightning Bolt (Munjiz), reflected on her charge’s third place in the Qatar Cup - Prix Dragon (Gr1 PA) by saying: "He ran well. He's more of a soft ground horse and it was riding quite fast today. We will soon decide whether he tackles the Qatar Arabian World Cup or not."

In the 4-year-old division, it seems that Hattal (Mahabb) is being kept under wraps in view of next year. Artemis (Azadi) looks to have a golden opportunity in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments (Gr1 PA) granted that race is the sole preserve of 4-year-old fillies. Amyr du Soleil (Amer) has provisionally left training after his fourth in the Qatar Derby des 4ans (Gr1 PA).

THE ROAD TO THE QATAR ARABIAN WORLD CUP

Entries: Friday, September 25^th

First forfeit stage: Wednesday, September 30^th                 

Supplementary entries / Probable runners: Thursday, October 1^st

Cancellation stage /riders: Friday 2^nd October