The Al Shaqab Racing silks entered the winners’ enclosure twice at Toulouse yesterday with Almajdah and Shadad registering a Group 3 PA victory each.
While Almajdah topped the Prix Nevada II (Group 3 PA), Shadad won the Prix Cheri Bibi (Group 3 PA).
It was the first Group win for Al Shaqab Racing-bred and owned Almajdah.
Ridden by Julien Augé, she wasn’t really travelling in the early stages when the race had pace. The leaders then took a pull in the back stretch and she made up ground before joining the leaders at the final turn. She then came up the centre of the track to pull well clear, showing a smart acceleration.
She is trained by Thomas Fourcy, who also trains the runner-up, Ajaweed, also in the colours of Al Shaqab Racing.
Almajdah had won her debut at Mont-de-Marsan before finishing sixth in the French Arabian Breeders’ Challenge (Group 2 PA) in Toulouse. However, this time she returned to the course to score her first Group win.
“I was not really disappointed with the filly at Toulouse (when she finished sixth),” Fourcy said after the win yesterday.
“I had asked Laurie Foulard to ride her as she found her, as we wanted to know whether we could take her to Saint-Cloud, but she wasn’t experienced or mechanised enough for that, and I have a smart group of three-year-old fillies this year.
“It was a smarter decision to bring her here. She can be quite cold in her races and takes time to get into her stride. Julien made the right decision to make his move when he did. It’s not easy to accelerate in this ground, but she did.” Later, the Al Shaqab Racing silks landed the Prix Cheri Bibi (Group 3 PA) thanks to their homebred colt Shadad.
This was the three-year-old’s first success, having finished in the placings on each of his four starts, and also trainer Charles Gourdain’s first Group success for Al Shaqab Racing.
He had a nice clear run under Auge before battling in the straight with Goingfor Al Baraka and Joskio. He eventually won by a head, with another head separating the second and third.
Gourdain also saddled the runner-up, Amjad Taiss Al Jumaily’s Goingfor Al Baraka, who was ridden by Valentin Seguy this time