Sports Reporter/Doha
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HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani (right) presents a trophy to jockey Oliver Peslier as trainer Alban de Mieulle looks on at the Chantilly race course in France yesterday |
Alban de Mieulle trained Tabarak had made a smashing winning reappearance on the Qatar race track in February, winning the Pure Arabian Stakes. The talented colt had displayed his readiness to strike on the big stage and that he did in fine style when he clinched the Derby Des Pur Sang for four-year-old Pure Arabians at the Chantilly race course yesterday. This event was sponsored by Al Shahania Stud.
The Umm Qarn bred Tabarak, son of Nizam, had been an outstanding performer during the early part of his career, having won a Group race in Chantilly in July, 2011. However, his only appearance later in August last year in Deauville was below par and as such, there were fears whether something had gone wrong with the talented colt. However, he had dispelled any such misgiving with a spotless performance in Doha. After racing in mid bunch, Tabarak came into contention even as Sheikh Tamim bin Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani owned Al Mamun Monlau had established a useful lead. The duo fought out a brief battle for supremacy but it was Tabarak who got stronger at the finish and won by a neck. The Alban de Mieulle trained Tabarak was brilliantly ridden by Frenchman Oliver Peslier.
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| Jockey Oliver Peslier rides Tabarak to a narrow win over Al Mamun Monlau at the Chantilly race course in France yesterday |
Earlier on Saturday, Mieulle had another winner when HH The Emir’s Trophy winner Lancelot came good in the Grand Prix De Lyon. Lancelot, with Peslier on the saddle, thwarted the spirited effort of War Is War to win by a shorthead.
Sheikha Aldabi bint Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani’s newly purchased Rjwa put in a gutsy performance while finishing a noteworthy third in the Group I one million euro Prix De Diane Longines yesterday.
Aga Khan owned Valyra provided her proud owner with a record seventh win in the Classic.
The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained runner was the outsider of the leading owner’s three runners in the race but she had few difficulties accounting for her rivals after sweeping to the front under Johnny Murtagh in the Chantilly home straight.
Having experienced a troublesome passage on Imperial Monarch in the Prix du Jockey Club at the same track two weeks ago, Joseph O’Brien made sure there was no repeat of that as he sent Kissed into an immediate lead.
She remained at the head of affairs until joined by favourite Beauty Parlour as they raced down the side of the straight.
As Kissed started to toil, Beauty Parlour, who was trying to complete a Classic double having bagged the Pouliches earlier in the season, found herself clear of the pack.
However, Murtagh had bided his time on the daughter of Azamour and her greater stamina came into play in the closing stages as she got up to beat the favourite with Qatari challenger Rjwa, finishing third.