The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC)-sponsored Qatar Arc Trials delivered a day of high-class action at ParisLongchamp yesterday. A stacked nine-race card, comprising seven Group contests run under the Qatar banner, served up an afternoon of exceptional quality, tense tactical battles and thrilling finishes.
Ambassador of Qatar to the France HE Sheikh Ali bin Jassim al-Thani, QREC Chairman Hamad bin Abdulrahman al-Attiyah, QREC Board Member Khalifa bin Mohammed al-Attiyah and QREC Deputy CEO Ahmed Amanalla al-Sheebani crowned the winners of the day's feature races.
Friendly Soul lands second Group 1 in the Qatar Prix Vermeille
Friendly Soul, the five-year-old mare, recorded the second Group 1 victory of her career by winning the Qatar Prix Vermeille over 2400m. The race was reserved for three-year-old and older fillies and mares and attracted a strong field of thirteen runners.
Trained by John & Thady Gosden, ridden by James Doyle, and owned by George Strawbridge, Friendly Soul showed plenty of courage hold on strongly in the closing stages.
Friendly Soul broke very well and quickly found herself in front, with no other runner showing much interest in taking the lead. She raced a little keen in the early stages, while Tattycoram settled in second position behind her.
At the end of the back straight, Composing moved up on the outside of Friendly Soul and began to put pressure on the leader. In the false straight, the two mares suddenly increased the pace and quickly pulled around four to five lengths clear of the rest of the field, with Tattycoram in third and Sparan Nua in fourth.
Entering the final straight, Composing began to weaken, leaving Friendly Soul alone in front and still clear of the rest. Inside the final 300m, she continued to hold a good advantage, while Pink Panthera started to make strong progress from behind.
Pink Panthera continued to close in the final stages, but Friendly Soul showed a very good attitude and kept finding enough under pressure to hold off her rivals. She eventually won by three-quarters of a length, with Pink Panthera finishing second and Sunly taking third.
Erdenali shines in Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp
Erdenali, the progressive three-year-old gelding, recorded the biggest success of his young career by winning the Group 1 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp over 1600m.
Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, ridden by Mickael Barzalona, and owned and bred by Aga Khan Studs SC, the homebred colt showed once again the quality he had displayed from the start of his career.
Erdenali broke well and was soon settled in midfield, just behind the favourite Gstaad. The race was led by Dorset and the very keen Opera Ballo, who both helped set a strong tempo.
Entering the false straight, the two leaders increased the pace again and opened up a gap of around two lengths. Erdenali, meanwhile, was travelling very strongly in fifth position, still behind Gstaad.
As most of his rivals began to come under pressure approaching the final straight, Erdenali was still travelling comfortably. With a few lengths to make up on the leaders, Mickael Barzalona began to ask him for an effort and he quickly moved into third position, while Ten Bob Tony challenged him on the outside.
Inside the final 200m, Erdenali went past Opera Ballo, but Ten Bob Tony was still right alongside him and continued to challenge strongly.
However, inside the final 100m, Erdenali found something extra and pulled away again to win by one and a quarter lengths. Ten Bob Tony finished second, while Gstaad took third.
HM Alchahine dominates Qatar Cup – Prix Dragon
HM Alchahine, the six-year-old Purebred Arabian, recorded another top-level success by winning the Group 1 (PA) Qatar Cup – Prix Dragon over 2000m.
Trained by Mme Jean-François Bernard, ridden by Cristian Demuro, and owned by Helal Alalawi, HM Alchahine produced a very easy performance to register the sixth Group 1 (PA) victory of his career.
HM Alchahine broke well but was soon steadied by Cristian Demuro and settled in second-last position, just behind Al Riffaa. Shaihaan led the field at a slow pace, and the positions remained mostly unchanged through the first part of the race.
Inside the final 300m, he was still cruising and had yet to be seriously asked, while Shayeg and Geneva began to fight for the minor places.
HM Alchahine soon went clear and was never in danger. Cristian Demuro only needed to ride him hands and heels inside the final 100m as he came home an easy four-length winner. Geneva stayed on to finish second, while Shayeg took third.
Meanwhile, Aga Khan Studs enjoyed a memorable afternoon, completing a treble on the card after earlier success with Erdenali, before Varandir landed the Group 2 Qatar Prix Niel and Daryz won the Group 2 Qatar Prix Foy.
