03.11.2020

Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches: ALAWSJ: A TRIUMPH SIGNED THOMAS FOURCY

SAINT-CLOUD (FR), OCTOBER 2^nd, 2020

Gr1 PA - 3-year-old fillies - 2,000m (10f) - €85,000

It’s an incredible statistic. As Thomas Fourcy helped himself to a fourth success in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches (Gr1 PA) thanks to the Al Shaqab Racing runner Alawsj (Dahor de Brugère). Better still, his runners filled the first two places… something he also achieved in the Gr1 PA equivalent for colts on the same Friday card. The fillies’ feature was run on heavy ground as the favourite, Alkedri (Mister Ginoux), had to be withdrawn after stumbling and parting company with her rider on the way to post.

Atoning for her Mont-de-Marsan defeat.  Alawsj was coming off a third to Elaf (Rabbah de Carrère) and Cocktail du Loup (Divamer) at Mont-de-Marsan, and she renewed rivalry with both fillies at Saint-Cloud. Ridden by Julien Augé, the future winner initially raced in third, as Elaf set a decent clip. Making headway down the backstretch as the tempo slowed. Alawsj found herself in second place rounding the final bend. The pace quickened at the entrance of the straight. Challenging on the stands’ side rail, Alawsj had to dig deep to secure the win. She took the cue by battling her way to victory by just under length at the main expense of her stablemate in the same ownership, Jalela (Mister Ginoux). Teema (Bibi de Carrere) was a close third.

A fourth win for Thomas Fourcy. The trainer responsible for the forecast said: "The two fillies will remain in France with a view to being campaigned as 4-year-olds. The winner appeals as the type to improve with age. Her preparation has been totally geared towards this race…and we’re going to keep her under wraps in view of next season. I’m very emotional and it’s a great relief to have won. Alawsj has always shown a lot of ability on the training grounds, but she disappointed badly last time out. To see her in full bloom on the big occasion speaks to the magic of horse racing! On this occasion, the favourite was unable to come under orders and that’s a shame for Al Shaqab Racing as she would have been involved at the finish.

The victory of Alawsj is a source of additional satisfaction, as I trained the dam, and she provided me with one of my initial Gr1 PA successes. It marks the continuity of the journey with Hassan Mousli, as he’s responsible for developing this particular bloodline line. It marks my fourth win in this race, but it’s always great to win the top races. Particularly so in a season blighted by the complications of the Covid-19 crisis. My horses are in tip-top condition at the moment. Jalela is a daughter of Mister Ginoux (Amer), a sire whose progeny are doing well, and a horse that I used to train."

Teema: an eye to the future. Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte saddled the third (Teema) and fourth (Elaf), and he said: "Teema raced a bit freely in the early stages, but she ran on well in the straight. She did well. Elaf also gave a good account of herself. Her jockey opined that she was a lot less tense compared to her previous race at Mont-de-Marsan. Outpaced at the beginning of the straight, she nevertheless rallied well to maintain fourth. At this point of the season, the pair are perhaps a notch below the first and second, but, given a good winter, they should be capable of building on this. I’ve had PA horses in the past which have run well and been placed here, before going on to win some decent races. I’m not worried as they still  have scope for improvement... »

Dahor de Brugère savours a first Gr1 PA win. Bred by Al Shaqab Racing, Alawsj spent her early days at the Haras du Berlais, and this concern are going great guns in both racing disciplines: Crew Dragon made his mark on the flat on October 2^nd and James du Berlais has likewise come up trumps over jumps!

It almost (certainly) marks the first Gr1 PA success by a sire inbred to Amer (Wafi). Dahor de Brugère (Dahess) was enjoying his first success at this level as a stallion, and the Al Shaqab Racing sire actually stands in Morocco on behalf of Sorec (Société Royale d’Encouragement du Cheval).

Alawsj is the first foal of the dam Bint Jakkarta (Af Albahar), the winner of the Al Rayyan Cup (Gr1 PA) at Deauville on soft ground. Six of the first and second generation descendants of the grandam, Jakkarta (Kesberoy), have gained black type and notably Alsaker (Af Albahar), the winner of the Qatar Derby for 4-Year-Olds (Gr1 PA), plus Al Charif (Akbar), the French Arabian Breeders’ Challenge (Gr1 PA) hero.

THE RACE SEEN AGAINST THE CLOCK

Sectional Times

First 1.000m: 1’17”52

1000m to 600m: 33”82

600m to 400m: 13”57

400m to 200m: 12”78

Final 200m: 13”56

Time: 2’31”25

SAINT-CLOUD (FRA), 2^nd OCTOBER

QATAR ARABIAN TROPHY DES POULICHES

Gr1 - 3-year-olds - Females - 2,000m - €85,000

1^st        ALAWSJ (56) F3

            (Dahor de Brugère & Bint Jakkarta, by Af Albahar)

Owner: Al Shaqab Racing
Breeder: Al Shaqab Racing

Trainer: T. Fourcy

Jockey: J. Augé

2^nd       JALELA (56) F3

            (Mister Ginoux & Nefertarie, by Mahabb)

Owner: Al Shaqab Racing
Breeder: Al Shaqab Racing

            Trainer: T. Fourcy

Jockey: J. Cabre

3^rd       TEEMA (56) F3

            (Bibi de Carrère & Dahwa, by Tidjani)

Owner: Yas Horse Racing Management

Breeder: Yas Horse Racing Management

Trainer: X. Thomas-Demeaulte
Jockey: I. Mendizabal

Other runner(s) in finishing order: Elaf, Cocktail du Loup, Guiness d'Vialettes & Sante Al Maury.

Non-runner : Alkedri.

(Turf) Heavy. 2'31"26. Distances: 3/4 - HEAD - 3.