A day before the racing action shifts to a newly-renovated Longchamp in Paris, Saint-Cloud, near the French capital, will serve up a taster, including Purebred Arabian racing, today.
Ten horses will line up for the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains (Group 1 PA for three-year-old colts) at Saint-Cloud today, while nine entries remain for the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches (Group 1 PA for three-year-old fillies).
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani-owned Marid and Neef will line up with Olivier Peslier and Pierre-Charles Boudot as their respective partners in the 2,000m race for the colts.
While Antoine de Watrigant-trained Marid won a Group 1 PA over the distance at Deauville on his last outing, it will be a step up for Didier Guillemin-schooled Neef, who had won a Group 3 at La Teste Buch over 1900m earlier in September.
Thomas Fourcy will have Al Shaqab Racing’s Shalaa, who has run just once so far, in the race with talented Qatari jockey Faleh Bughanaim partnering the Dahess colt.
Guillemin also has Deryan in the race, while Damien de Watrigant has two entries — Bel’Izam and Sea Bird Al Maury.
Trainer Michal Borkowski has Sahm Al Khalediah, who has three victories from last five outings including a Polish Group 1, in the card, while GT Zoetelief has supplemented Probat T, a 1300m sprint winner in Duindigt, Netherlands.
In the 2000m race for fillies, Fourcy has decided to take Al Shaqab Racing’s Gtnah out of the contention, while Borkowski has supplemented Awasef Al Khalediah.
The latter has two victories in Poland, including a Group 2 at Wroclaw over a mile from July, and will be making a debut in France today.
Fourcy still has another Al Shaqab Racing filly, Al Haffanah, to be helmed by Julien Auge, and Douhha Al Cham, to be ridden by Jerome Cabre, in the race. Al Haffanah has won her only outing in France, shedding her maiden status at La Teste Buch early August.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah’s Adiba, fourth behind Al Haffanah, won her second outing at Mont de Marsan earlier in September and will have Peslier for company. While it’s a step up for wards of Fourcy and Guillemin, it should throw up some interesting action today.
Ali Hamad Al Attiya-owned Mashael will line up for E. Mikhalides under Aurelien Lemaitre.
The race is also a step up for Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte-trained Baseel, who has three victories from as many races, but none at the Group 1 level.
Qatari jockey Faleh Bughanaim will ride Al Shaqab Racing’s Shalaa in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains (Group 1 PA for three-year-old colts) at Saint-Cloud, France, today. PICTURES: Juhaim
