Racing UK to broadcast Qatar’s two most prestigious races

By Sports Reporter/DohaQatar’s two most prestigious races for Thoroughbreds and Purebred Arabians are set to be broadcast in the UK for the first time this week by leading dedicated satellite horseracing broadcaster, Racing UK.The Group 1 contests which provide the finale to the HH The Emir 24th International Equestrian Sword Festival will form part of the channel’s broadcast of live racing from Ludlow and Meydan today.Viewers will have the chance to see Frankie Dettori partner Dubday, who runs in the colours of Al Shaqab Racing, in his bid to become the first horse in a decade to win back-to-back runnings of the HH The Emir’s Trophy (3.30 p.m.), a 1200M contest on Turf for Thoroughbreds three-years-old and over and worth QR 1.9 million (Euro 460,000).The HH The Emir’s Sword (4.00 p.m.) for Purebred Arabians aged four-year-olds and over is the final race of the three-day meeting in which Dettori rides Farh, one of two runners in the ownership of Al Shaqab Racing and bidding to deny local trainer Julian Smart his fourth win in the race in five years and a share of the QR 2.9 million prize.Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC) chairman HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Faleh al-Thani said, “This represents an important step in the international promotion of racing in Qatar and we are delighted to have the opportunity to showcase our most important races to Racing UK’s audience of racing professionals and enthusiasts.”Seb Vance, Racing UK Director of PR & Communications said, “We are looking forward to broadcasting racing from Qatar for the first time and the timing of the two Group 1s fits well with our programming schedule. “Many of the UK’s most important races that we will be covering this year will benefit from Qatar’s support and we are pleased that subscribers will have the opportunity to see Qatar’s two most important contests.”Staged under the patronage of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the HH The Emir 24th International Equestrian Sword Festival officially launched on February 19.The event is staged by QREC and comprises five days of International Arabian Horse Shows followed by three days of high quality racing for Purebred Arabians and Thoroughbreds with a total prize money value in excess of Euros 6 million.More than 400 international visitors will attend the HH The Emir 24th International Equestrian Sword Festival including members of the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) and the European Conference of Arab Horse Organisations (ECAHO).