Al Ghadeer secures 3rd straight Qatar Arabian World Cup
for Al Shaqab Racing
Source JDG. Photos Scoopdyga
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani crowned H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Joaan Al Thani with the Gr1 PA Qatar Arabian World Cup trophy, in presence of H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Hamad bin Abdulrahman Al Attiyah, Chairman of Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC), at the conclusion of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend on Sunday, 5 October, at ParisLongchamp. For the third consecutive year, the legendary Al Ghadeer (Al Mourtajez) retained the crown in spectacular fashion. The brilliant 6YO reaffirmed his dominance in Purebred Arabian racing, keeping his sights firmly set on capturing the Doha Triple Crown once again for the third consecutive year — an unprecedented feat that may prove difficult to replicate. It seems Al Ghadeer is now competing only against himself, chasing the record he alone set by winning the Triple Crown twice before.
Al Ghadeer (Al Mourtajez x Gharraa by Matador 12) once again demonstrated his unrivalled dominance in the Purebred Arabian ranks with a spectacular victory in the Gr.1 (PA) Qatar Arabian World Cup over 2000m. The race, featuring a field of 12 of the world’s best Arabians, is the richest and most prestigious contest for the breed, and Al Ghadeer confirmed his status as the undisputed champion.
Trained by François Rohaut, owned by Al Shaqab Racing, and ridden by Christophe Soumillon, the now six-year-old superstar secured his 11th career Gr.1 (PA) title and added the Qatar Arabian World Cup to an already glittering résumé. This success also marked a third consecutive Gr.1 victory on the card for Christophe Soumillon, who earlier guided Diamond Necklace and Puerto Rico to top-level success, completing a remarkable treble on Arc Day.
In a race led by Joe Star (Al Mourtajez x Guest Del Falot by Djorman), as usual setting the pace, Al Ghadeer was restrained from his wide draw to settle at the rear, positioned just behind his main rival HM Alchahine (Al Mourtajez x Al Chyhanah by Munjiz). The tempo was strong but even, and Al Ghadeer travelled comfortably three wide on the best ground, always within striking distance of the leaders.
Third last in the false straight but still travelling powerfully, he continued to track HM Alchahine, who moved wide turning for home. Travelling noticeably best of all, Soumillon bided his time before switching his mount to the outside for a clear run. Inside the final 300m, Al Ghadeer drifted slightly left but responded instantly once Soumillon switched his whip to the left hand, showing an excellent turn of foot to surge past and assert his superiority. He stayed on strongly to win by three-quarters of a length from HM Alchahine, with RB Mary Lylah (Al Mourtajez x Rich Kinkga by TH Richie) finishing a clear third.
François Rohaut, trainer of Al Ghadeer, said: “He’s the best! He proved it again today, against the toughest rival he’s ever faced. There was a huge amount of pressure… and he rose to the occasion. What a magnificent horse! It was the first time he’d met a rival of such calibre, and he really had to dig deep to go and get him. Christophe gave him a dream ride. Everything went perfectly, and the horse has once again moved up a level.
“Fourteen starts, thirteen wins, more than five million euros in prize money… that’s an exceptional record for an incredible horse. He deserves it. I don’t think we’ll ever see another like him. He has absolutely everything: he’s beautiful, kind, brave. He’s never caused a problem, not in training nor in daily life. He’s calm in his box, indifferent to the others. His life revolves around eating and sleeping. He gives so much emotion — to his owner, to the whole team, and to me as well.
“There was a lot of pressure, really a lot. From Al Ghadeer’s side too — he’s now won this World Cup three times in a row, something that had never been done before. We’ll never forget him. He’s the horse that has marked me the most, the one who’s made me suffer the most… but in the best possible way. Today, he achieved something truly exceptional. I think he’s never been better.
“We weighed him regularly, sometimes every week, and this time he was eight kilos lighter than before — for a horse like him, that’s a lot. We could feel he was ready to deliver one last great performance, and he did. Everything fell into place; it was perfect. He behaved perfectly before the race, didn’t pull, and the pace was just right.
“Thank you Jean-Bernard, thank you Faleh. It was the perfect race, exactly as Christophe had described it beforehand. I gave him a free hand — he spoke with JB and Faleh to make it a real team effort. And everything went exactly as planned. He’ll now run in the HH The Amir Sword in Doha — his final race — where he’ll attempt to complete a hat-trick in the Arabian Triple Crown.” |
