The opening day of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC)-sponsored Qatar Goodwood Festival saw a spectacular third straight victory for Stradivarius in the Qatar Goodwood Cup (Group 1), even as the focus will be on some top quality Arabian racing today in the Qatar International Stakes (Group 1 PA).
The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) announced a high-class field of eight runners for the £400,000 Arabian feature, the most valuable race in the UK Arabian racing calendar.
Lining up in the gates for the Qatar International Stakes (7:25pm Qatar time) will be five individual Group 1 PA winners, including His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Tayf, the winner in 2017, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Ebraz, who was runner-up in the last two renewals.
Also declared are Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Attiyah’s Rodess Du Loup, who won both the French and the English Derby’s last year, 2016 UK Derby winner Lightning Bolt and Muraaqib, the winner of the last renewal.
ARO Commercial and Finance Director Genny Haynes said: “Every year the quality of entries for this race exceeds our expectations. We are delighted that we have the first four home from last year’s race which is always a very competitive event as you would expect with a such a valuable prize.”
Yesterday, ridden by Frankie Dettori and trained by John Gosden, the superstar stayer Stradivarius extended his unbeaten sequence to eight wins with a vintage display in the two-mile contest. The five-year-old travelled powerfully into contention in the home straight and displayed his customary turn of foot to win eased down by a neck from the Mark Johnston-trained Dee Ex Bee in second. The Charlie Appleby-trained Cross Counter was third.
Stradivarius’ illustrious win record now features three Qatar Goodwood Cups, two Gold Cups, two Yorkshire Cups, a Lonsdale Cup and a QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup success.
In the European Breeders Fund EBF Maiden Stakes, John Quinn-trained Cobra Eye, a two-year-old, emerged as the second winner on the card for Dettori who nursed his mount to a short-head victory over HE Sherida al-Kaabi-owned and Mark Johnston-trained Fuwayrit, the mount of Ryan Moore. Lost In Time finished third, a further one and a half lengths back.
Johnston was pleased with Fuwayrit’s performance. “It was a great run from the horse,” he said. “The first and third have both had a run and it always makes a difference. He has run really, really well. You can’t take it away from him and he has gone down by a short head.”
Jockey Moore added: “He has run a good race for first time out.”
The Charlie Appleby-trained Pinatubo raced to a spectacular triumph in the Qatar Vintage Stakes (Group 2). The son of Shamardal, who won this race in 2004, was sent off by jockey James Doyle to win by five lengths from the Clive Cox-trained Positive. The Aidan O’Brien-trained Lope Y Fernandez was third.
David Elsworth-trained Sir Dancealot became the second horse to win back-to-back renewals of the Qatar Lennox Stakes (Group 2) with a smooth success in the seven-furlong contest. Ridden by Gerald Mosse, the five-year-old quickened up smartly to win by a length from the James Tate-trained Hey Gaman in second. David O’Meara-trained Suedois was third.
Fayez captured the opening race of the Qatar Goodwood Festival with a dramatic victory in the 10-furlong Unibet Handicap. Second-last entering the home straight, O’Meara’s ward had to wait for a gap to appear on the rail, but managed to thread a passage in the closing stages under a superb ride by Danny Tudhope, who is chasing his first jockeys’ championship success this season, to score by a half-length. The Jedd O’Keeffe-trained Jazeel was back in second. Appleby- trained Setting Sail was third.
Trainer John Gallagher was “buzzing” with the success of Green Power in the £30,000 Chelsea Barracks Handicap over five furlongs. Ridden by PJ McDonald, the four-year-old son of Kheleyf, ran on strongly to snatch victory close home, defeating the Ruth Carr-trained Poyle Vinnie by a head.
Maid For Life provided Newmarket trainer Charlie Fellowes with a victory in the final race on Day One of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, the mile-long Unibet Fillies’ Handicap. Ridden by PJ McDonald, the three-year-old daughter of Nathaniel edged ahead closer home to score, defeating Johnston-trained Warning Fire by a half-length.
Qatar Equestrian Federation president Hamad Abdulrahman al-Attiyah (second from left) presents the owner’s trophy for the Qatar Goodwood Cup Stakes (Group 1) after Stradivarius won the two-mile contest at Qatar Goodwood Festival yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim & Zuzanna Lupa
