|
Qatar’s emergence as a force to be reckoned with in international horse racing is making waves in a country that at first glance seems to have little in common with the Desert Kingdom—namely the lushly pastured Emerald Isle. Yet, on closer examination, it becomes clear that when it comes to the equine world, Qatar and Ireland have a shared passion. |
Leading bloodstock consultant, Tom Ryan, is amazed at what has been achieved by Qatar in such a short span of time. His company, Ryan Bloodstock, began its association with Qatar just four years ago.
“I started off buying relatively cheap mares and foals for Qatar in early 2010,” he recalled. Then the stakes were raised to make history with the purchase of the top class thoroughbred, Joshua Tree.
“After selling quite a few mares and foals I got a call asking to ‘buy a champion’ and that really started it for me when I bought Joshua Tree in a private sale from Coolmore (Coolmore Stud, in County Tipperary, Ireland, one of the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses). Three weeks later he won The Canadian International Group One and went on to win that race twice more in 2012 and 2013 entering the Hall Of Fame. I believe Joshua Tree is the first Group One winner for a Qatari owner. He was a forerunner for what was to follow,” Ryan said.
The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC), under the
leadership of Mohamed bin Faleh al-Thani (right) and
managed by Sami Jassim al-Boenain,
encourages horse owners to own the best horses
and to improve horse breeding in the region.
He is not surprised at the success that has been achieved by Qatar in thoroughbred racing as he notes there is a very rich history and appreciation of horsemanship in the region related to the magnificent Arabic horses.
The QREC, under the leadership of Mohamed bin Faleh al-Thani and managed by Mr Sami Jassim al-Boenain, encourages horse owners to own the best horses and to improve horse breeding in the region.
“It’s no surprise to me that they are where they are today but it’s incredible how quickly they have got there. It’s not just a question of money; it’s a question of tapping into the best knowledge that is available around the world and formulating a plan. I think it was a carefully planned strategy building towards their strong position in racing today,” he observed.
In his view the best is yet to come. “We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg at this stage because the success they have had is only going to fuel others to do likewise: I think Qatar is already a major player, but we are going to see significant success from Qatar. They are now standing their own stallions so they have come a long way in a short time,” he said.
He thinks the next obvious step is to invest in a top class stud.
“The next move is definitely to buy one of the major stud farms in Ireland or the UK. This is something they will need to do if they are to expand.”
He noted: “The Irish Racing industry, with the aid of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) led by Elaine Hatton, is well positioned to meet the requirements of top level racing organisations. Ireland has the resources in terms of land and climate. They have the talent in terms of horsemanship and expertise and all the facilities to go with that.”
The limestone land is perfect for horses, he explained. “It’s free draining land: that allows horses to be kept outdoors all year round. Limestone land also produces fabulous pastures which is great for bone density and the development of young horses and that’s an amazing advantage.”
He recognises that Qatar racing is today a very important part of the industry in Ireland, and significantly the Qatari influence is being felt not just in flat racing but also now starting to show in National Hunt. This interest, he observed, will have a positive ‘trickle down’ effect on both large and small scale operators.
“Qatar is hugely important to Ireland – outside of the headline news, quite a few of the Qatari owners have bought smaller farms in Ireland—when I say smaller farms I am talking about 300 to 500 acres—I think that is going to increase. I am happy to continue to advise on suitable stud farms for purchase or boarding.
“There is a small but select band of trainers in Ireland that attract a lot of attention from Qatari owners. This has resulted in many great successes. The impact of Qatari interest in Ireland is very positive, not only to the auction houses—but to the vets, trainers and the smaller breeders,” he said.
Ryan, who operates from his bases in Tipperary, Ireland and Gloucester, England, will travel to Qatar next month.
“A couple of horses I sold in foal have been quite successful there and they will be running again. The racing programme has just started and will run until next March. I’ll enjoy the racing, spend some time at The Jockey Club, catch up with old friends—and catch up with the progress of the horses I sold. Mixing business with pleasure,” he said.
