• Lady Princess lands Arabian World Cup; Sheikh Joaan receives Prix de l’Opera following Place Du Carrousel’s win
English raider Alpinista stormed to victory in Europe’s most prestigious race – the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Sunday, while Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari’s Lady Princess won the Qatar Arabian World Cup His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani crowned the winners of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and Qatar Arabian World Cup at ParisLongchamp racecourse.
HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, received the Prix de l’Opera Longines following the Group 1 victory of Place Du Carrousel in Al Shaqab Racing’s colours and joint ownership with Ballylinch Stud. It was the second success for Al Shaqab Racing with Noor Al Maury winning the Qatar Arabian Trophy for Fillies at Saint Cloud on Friday.
Meanwhile, Alpinista battled gamely under Luke Morris to repel French Derby winner Vadeni with last year’s winner Torquator Tasso ridden by Frankie Dettori running a fine race to finish third. Now a six-time Group 1 winner, Kirsten Rausing’s five-year-old mare Alpinista (Frankel) marked her place in the history books with a brilliant victory in the world’s most famous race.
Taking on nineteen rivals for the €5mn showpiece, the beautiful grey was trained by 74-year-old training legend Sir Mark Prescott and was ridden by Morris, who has partnered Alpinista on all six of her Group 1 wins.
Unbeaten since April 2021, Alpinista has now won six Group 1 races over 2400m spanning across the United Kingdom, Germany and France. Travelling ominously well throughout the contest, Alpinista copied perfectly with the difficult underfoot conditions and carried her jockey Morris easily into the straight. Once angled out for a run, the courageous grey moved through to lead and saw off multiple challengers to score bravely. Alpinista passed the post with a half a length to spare over Vadeni (Churchill), who finished a neck ahead of last year’s winner Torquator Tasso (Alderflug).
Speaking after the race, a proud Kirsten Rausing explained the importance of such a success. “We are obviously delighted, and it is incredible to have bred such a mare, especially as she is a sixth generation of one of our families … We will just make sure that she gets home safe and sound for the moment. We will have to go and have a think to see if she runs again this year. We have considered the Japan Cup and the Breeders Cup, but she will go to stud next year.”
Classy Lady Princess wins
Qatar Arabian World Cup
Heartbreakingly close to landing the same contest in 2021, the incredible pure-bred Arabian mare Lady Princess (General x Nacree Al Maury) carried the colours of her owner Sheikha Khalifa Bin Sheail al-Kuwari to a ninth top-flight success when landing the Group 1 (PA) Qatar Arabian World Cup.
Masterfully handled by leading Arabian trainer, the French based Thomas Fourcy, Lady Princess came into the race on the back of four successive victories at Group1 (PA) and stamped her place as one of the all-time greats in the Arabian racing sphere with her impressive success in the €1mn Qatar sponsored contest at ParisLongchamp.
As is her style, Lady Princess was held up at the rear of the field by jockey Jim Crowley and travelled with sublime ease throughout the early stages of the 2000m contest. Still in last position on entering the straight, the six-year-old was angled out wide by Crowley and began to slide past the majority of her fifteen rivals. Taking over inside the final 200m, Lady Princess quickened clear to score by a length and three quarters from the legendary Ebraz (Amer), with Diafar (Dahess) a further three lengths back in third.
Al Shaqab Racing’s Place Du Carrousel wins Opera
Carrying the colours of Al Shaqab Racing, who share ownership with her part breeders Ballylinch Stud, the talented filly Place Du Carrousel (Lope De Vega) sprung a surprise to land the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera Longines.
Second in the Group 1 Prix Saint Alary over course and distance earlier in the season and trained by Andre Fabre, Place Du Carrousel was amongst the outsiders for the sixteen runner, 2,000m contest but galloped to a clear success under Mickael Barzalona and took the €285,700 in prize money in the silks of Al Shaqab Racing.
Held up towards mid-division, Place Du Carrousel ran in snatches in a race dictated by the dual Gr.1 winner and eventual runner up Nashwa (Frankel). Off the bridle early in the straight and with seemingly plenty to do, the filly stayed on strongly up the centre of the course inside the final 200m and went on to score readily from Nashwa, who finished three-quarters of a length back in second, with Above The Curve a short head back in third.
The opening race on Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe day, the Manateq-sponsored Group 1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere went the way of the Andre Fabre trained Belbek (Showcasing), who landed a first Group 1 contest.
Fahad Rashid al-Kaabi, CEO of the Economic Zones Company (Manateq) presented the trophies to the winners.
Continuing a fantastic season for her trainer Christopher Head, the two-year-old filly Blue Rose Cen (Chruchill) was a mighty winner of the Qatar sponsored Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac.
HE Issa bin Mohamed al-Mohannadi, QREC Chairman, presented the trophies to the winners.
Leading from the start, Middleham Park Racing owned two-year-old filly The Platinum Queen (Cotai Glory) produced a phenomenal effort to win the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines.
In the final Group 1 race on a sensational afternoon of racing, the five-year-old gelding Kinross (Frankel) carried the silks of his owner Marc Chan to success in the Gr1 Qatar Prix de la Foret, presented by the Education Above All Foundation (EAA)
Aisha al-Mannai, of Education Above All Foundation, presented the trophies to the winners.
Qatar Olympic Committee President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani received the Prix de l’Opera Longines from Longines Vice-President for Marketing Matthieu Baumgartner, following Place Du Carrousel’s success in Al Shaqab Racing’s colours and joint ownership with Ballylinch Stud.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani crowned Lady Princess’ owner Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari after the mare’s victory in the iconic Group 1 PA Qatar Arabian World Cup yesterday.
British jockey Luke Morris rides Alpinista to Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
victory ahead of Vadeni at the ParisLongchamp racecourse yesterday.
Place Du Carrousel is led to Prix de l’Opera victory by Mickael Barzalona.
Lady Princess, ridden by Jim Crowley, sprints to Qatar Arabian World Cup victory.
