Qatar Airways is pleased to be the Official Airline Partner of Europe’s most prestigious horse racing event, the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe 2018, which concluded at the newly-renovated ParisLongchamp Racecourse yesterday.
The spectacular event, held against the elegant backdrop of the Bois de Boulogne in the City of Light, attracted the horse racing elite from around the globe.
With a prize pot of 5 million euros, the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is the richest flat turf race and features some of the world’s top race horses, while many champion purebred Arabian horses compete in the Qatar Arabian World Cup on the same day.
The award-winning airline participated in partnership with the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) for the event, which is now in its 98th year, and is a much-anticipated highlight on the French social calendar. Qatar Airways’ renowned cabin crew was on-hand to present trophies to the race winners.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker said, “Qatar Airways is delighted to be the Official Airline Partner of the most exclusive event on the international annual horse racing calendar, the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe 2018. As an airline, we have a long tradition of supporting events which not only showcase excellence in sport, but which also champion sport as a means of bringing people together. This is something which has been evident through Qatar Airways’ recent sponsorship of major global sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup and the 2018 Asian Games, and is at the heart of our brand message – Going Places Together.
“Our sponsorship of this prestigious event also highlights our commitment to France; we proudly provide direct service to two key gateways, Paris and Nice. We welcome the many guests and spectators to enjoy the exciting races and elegant setting that mark this spectacular event.”
QREC chairman Issa al-Mohannadi said, “We are delighted with the partnership with Qatar Airways, the world’s fastest-growing airline and Qatar’s flag carrier. The ongoing co-operation between QREC and Qatar Airways in sponsoring horse race meetings will provide the requirements for successful future racing events, befitting the reputation of Qatar’s equestrian sport. Qatar Airways also contributes significantly to the shipping activities for QREC-sponsored events overseas.
“We have worked in co-operation extensively with Qatar Airways for many prestigious international events recently, including the Qatar Goodwood Festival in the UK. Such association has been key to the success of the Festival, which saw phenomenal turnout at one of the world’s most beautiful and historic racecourses. This, in turn, enhances the partnership between QREC and Qatar Airways, and we look forward to more collaboration with Qatar Airways to benefit Qatar and Qatar’s equestrian sport.”
Qatar Airways currently operates a total of 21 weekly direct flights between its home and hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha and Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris. These include a daily service on board Qatar Airways A350-900, which currently features the airline’s state-of-the-art Qsuite Business Class seat. The award-winning airline also operates five weekly flights to Nice.
Qatar Airways is one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines, with a modern fleet of more than 200 aircraft flying to business and leisure destinations across six continents. The award-winning airline recently revealed a host of upcoming new global destinations, including Gothenburg, Sweden; Da Nang, Vietnam and Mombasa, Kenya.
