New racecourse on cards; season to kick off in November

Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) general manager Nasser Sherida al-Kaabi has said that the new season, which will begin in November 2017, will bring in exciting new times for horse racing in the country with an intensive calendar and a new racecourse.
The new racecourse, which will be given over by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, al-Kaabi said, will have a significant impact in supporting local races and allowing owners, including many new ones, to prepare their horses well for the big racing events. He said that further details about the new venue will be announced in a timely manner, adding that the new racecourse will be of great benefit to Qatari races.
Besides owners and races, the Club, the general manager said, is focussed on encouraging and developing Qatari riders. He said that with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, Qatari riders are now in a training and preparation programme in South Africa. The programme, he elaborated, includes daily exercise on the racetrack and industrial devices, to raise their awareness and train them for races.
Al-Kaabi said that training alongside riders from South Africa, especially at an institute considered to be one of the best in the world in horse riding training, will be a boost to the riders.
The Club has invited Qatari riders to participate in local races.
Al-Kaabi said said that the racing events in Qatar are evolving and has witnessed some strong participation in the international races, with strong fields from some of the biggest owners in the world. He pointed out the field that the big international meetings like Qatar Derby and HH The Emir’s Sword Racing Festival has attracted in the past.
Talking about the participation of Qatari owners in foreign races, the top official said that the club does everything it can to support top quality horses at big events across the world. He said, that the Club works to support the owners in order to improve performance of their horses.
He mentioned Qatari owners’ successes on foreign soil in recent past, including Al Shaqab Racing’s Treve, who won the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe twice in a row, besides wins by Al Shahaniya and Umm Qarn farms.
With the Qatar Goodwood Festival just around the corner in Britain, al-Kaabi spoke about the club’s commitment to its associations with foreign races. The Racing and Equestrian Club sponsors the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France and Qatar Goodwood Festival in Britain, and also has agreements with the Curragh racetrack in Ireland to sponsor Phoenix Sprint race, and with the Breeders’ Cup in the United States.
Al-Kaabi reiterated the club’s commitment to all these agreements.
He added that there are many Qatari horses expected to win events in the five-day Qatar Goodwood Festival.
The general manager also spoke about the club’s commitment to match international best practices in racing. He said that the Club has prepared a strategy to combat doping in horse racing through examination of horses before and after races, besides developing investigation capabilities for cases of doping.
He also mentioned laws on trainers, riders and horses that were implemented last year for the purpose of development. The coaches committing clear mistakes in the past seasons, he said, were fined and punished according to international laws, adding that penalties are imposed after periodical tests that take place after a horse wins first position.