03.11.2020

QATAR ARABIAN WORLD CUP: TAYF HITS THE JACKPOT AT THE FIFTH ATTEMPT!

PARISLONGCHAMP (FR), OCTOBER 4^th, 2020

Gr1 PA - 4-year-olds & up - 2,000m (10f) - €600,000

On the morning of Sunday, October 4^th, the CV of Tayf (Amer) revealed that he was already a dual Gr1 PA winner. His most prestigious win to date had been recorded in the 2017 edition of the Qatar International Stakes (Gr1 PA) when he outbattled Ebraz (Amer) in driving rain at Goodwood. He went into this year’s Qatar Arabian World Cup as an outsider, (9.2/1). However, all the stars aligned in his favour and, consequently, he provided His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani with a third win in the race!

Magic Peslier. Shalaa (Dahess), the Al Shaqab racing pacemaker, set the initial tempo and, after relinquishing the lead to Messi (Dahess), the former got his head back in front. On entering the straight, Shalaa shot three lengths clear. Only Messi proved capable of reeling-in the pacesetter at this point, and, having swept by the leader, appealed as the likely winner going to the final 400m. However, Tayf, after settling in mid-division, appeared progressively on the scene in the straight. After taking the fight to Messi, he also had to withstand the attack of Ebraz.

Olivier Peslier was aware that Tayf tends to idle once in front and so he delayed his challenge for as long as possible. Once asked for his effort, Tayf, appearing to be travelling easily, seized the initiative and, despite the small margin of the win, asserted a touch cosily. Messi was second. Ebraz was a further two lengths away in third. Khataab (Amer) and Hayyan (Munjiz) were fourth and fifth respectively, and it was reported that the latter didn’t like the ground. Olivier Peslier told the Equidia racing channel: "It’s not so much a case of magic Peslier but magic Fourcy! The horse had previously won on this type of ground, and so I was confident. Last time out at Goodwood, he was in need of the race after a lay off. He really hit his stride today. Judged by the way he was responding to the cut and thrust of the race, I said to myself ‘things were going well.’"

The incredible week-end of Thomas Fourcy. The Royan trainer saddled his third Qatar Arabian World Cup winner on this occasion. Twenty four hours (Oct 3^rd) earlier, his PA horses filled the first four places in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments (Gr1). On Friday (October 2^nd), his fillies completed the forecast in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches, a feat he also repeated in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains (Grs1 PA) on the same card. This means that eight of his horses finished in the first three at Gr1 PA level, and all in the space of three days! Thomas Fourcy said: "It’s extraordinary! I was confident concerning the prospects of Khataab, but he proved a tad disappointing. In his defence, he didn’t have the easiest of passages in the race, before finding himself isolated. To win four Gr1 PA races in three days is exceptional. Alban de Mieulle had faith in me as regards preparing Tayf. It’s proving to be a dream season. I never imagined that that this would ever happen to me. »

A dream race. Thomas Fourcy added: "It’s a dream! This World Cup also highlighted the considerable talents of Olivier Peslier. I would also like to thank the team of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani for having confidence in me. Tayf had a dream race. He had to make his effort by going in pursuit of Messi, and was then kept up to his task by the attack of Ebraz. We know that he’s capable of delivering good performances, but things need to pan out for him – and that was the case today. Messi gave us a fright as he gave no signs of stopping which took him a long way in this race.  I’m on cloud nine! Perhaps, Ebraz wasn’t quite at his best today. It wasn’t obvious beforehand that we would beat him..."

Tayf and Ebraz: next stop Doha. Tayf has been trained almost throughout his career by Alban de Mieulle, but the latter didn’t travel to France this year. Thomas Fourcy outlined: "Due to the Covid-19 situation, the horse joined my yard in June after jetting-in from Doha. It’s incredible to win the race again. My task is now complete, as the horse will be returning to Qatar in a few weeks time with a view to re-joining Alban de Mieulle as planned. I’m not sure where the horse will be heading, but one would think that he will be aimed at the H.H. The Amir Sword. I hope he wins that race for Alban de Mieulle."

The favourite Ebraz wasn’t at the top of his game and Julian Smart said:  "The ground is desperate. Despite this, he was striding out well during the race, and Maxime Guyon felt he was travelling well. However, he couldn’t unleash his trademark turn of foot. This was perhaps down to the ground. The plan is for him to head to Qatar."

Messi is the big surprise package at 27-1. Messi created a big surprise. His trainer, Timo Keersmaekers, was similarly bowled over and he said: "We’re thrilled by the effort of Messi. He ran very well. He was in a bit better condition than in the period following the Qatar Cup Prix Dragon (Gr 1 PA). Our training facilities aren’t all they should be, and this isn’t ideal when it comes to training a horse of this class. However, I’ve managed to get by. My job entails a lot of travelling abroad and so the horse has been in the care of other trainers. So the horse didn’t travel a great deal. As a result of the Covid-19 crisis, I’ve had to stay home. Consequently, I’ve been able to dedicate more time to training the horse, and he’s been the object of a lot of my attention. The efforts have been considerable and we’re delighted with the way he ran. We recently received an invitation to race him in Abu Dhabi. We’re going to mull matters over before deciding whether to make the trip."

Jean-Marc de Watrigant’s mares to the fore. Tayf and Ebraz, the first and third in the Qatar Arabian World Cup, are out of mares that were acquired from Jean-Marc de Watrigant. The statistics reveal that no less than three winners, Tayf (2020), Ebraz (2019) and Mushrae (2013), have borne the imprint of the Haras du Mandore during the course of the last 13 editions of the PA feature!

The son and grandson of champions. Tayf came into the world as a result of the embryo transfer process, having been bred at the Haras du Grand Courgeon. He’s out of the mare

Djelmila (Manganate). Bred by the Haras de Mandore, she was the first to lower the colours of the class act, Al Sakbe (Kesberoy). Her victories were gained far and wide, and, of these, the Derby des Pur-sang Arabes at Chantilly, the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2, and the Hatta international Stakes, all of which now carry the Gr1 PA label, spring to mind. Six of Djelmila’s foals have gained black type, including the Gr1 PA winning full brothers

Majd Al Arab (Qatar International Trophy, H.H. the Emir’s Sword, the Dubai International Stakes & Coupe d’Europe des Chevaux Arabes, Grs1 PA) and Raddad (Qatar International Derby, Gr1 Pa). The grandam, Cherifa (Chéri Bibi), captured the Dubai Stakes and la Coupe du Cheval Arabe (Grs1 PA). Around 20 black type performers trace back to her, including Mushrae (Arabian World Cup & Arabian Trophy des Poulains, Grs1 PA). This is the much heralded line of the Watrigant breeding operation, and one responsible for producing the heavyweight sires, Dormane (Manganate) and Manganate (Saint Laurent).

THE RACE AND THE CLOCK

SECTIONAL TIMES

Initial 1,000m: 1’14’’13

1,000m to 600m: 26’’88

600m to 400m: 14’’00

400m to 200m: 13’’24

Final 200m: 13’’73

Time: 2’21’’98

PARISLONGCHAMP, 4^th OCTOBER

QATAR ARABIAN WORLD CUP

Gr1 - 4-year-olds and up - 2,000m - €600,000

1^st        TAYF (58) H8

            (Amer & Djelmila, by Manganate)

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

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

            Trainer: T. Fourcy

Jockey: O. Peslier

2^nd       MESSI BEL (58) H8

            (Dahess & Jeanne d'Arc, by Dormane)

Owner: V. Keersmaekers

Breeder: V. Keersmaekers

Trainer: T. Keersmaekers
Jockey: E. Hardouin

3^rd       EBRAZ (58) H7

            (Amer & Massamarie, by Tidjani)

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

Breeder: H.H. Sheikh Moh. Bin Khalifa Al Thani

            Trainer: J. Smart

Jockey: M. Guyon

Other runner(s) in finishing order: Khataab, Hayyan, Freddy Py, Fazza Al Khalediah & Shalaa.

All ran (8).

(Turf) 2'21"98. Distances: SNECK - 2 - 3.