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Sports / Qatar Sport

Qatar Arc Trials huge success in Paris

Published: 16 Sep 2019 - 12:41 am | Last Updated: 03 Nov 2021 - 09:39 pm
An action from the Qatar Arc Trials day at ParisLongchamp yesterday.

An action from the Qatar Arc Trials day at ParisLongchamp yesterday.

The Peninsula

Doha:  The Qatar Arc Trials day took place at ParisLongchamp yesterday, with the hopefuls for the biggest races on the weekend of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe lining up three weeks before the main event for their final preparation.

Nadia Ahmed Al Sheebi, Chargée D’affaires at the Qatar Embassy in Paris was present and presented the trophies to the winners of the two main races of the day, namely, the Qatar Cup - Prix Dragon (Gr 1 PA) and the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille.

One month on from his success in the Doha Cup (Gr1 PA), at Deauville, Akoya was victorious in the Qatar Cup - Prix Dragon (Gr1 PA), yesterday at ParisLongchamp, on Qatar Arc Trials day.

Trained by Karin Van Den Bos, the 5-year-old horse went from pillar to post, never threatened by second-place finisher Al Shamoos. Akoya was running for the first time at ParisLongchamp three weeks prior to his main objective, the Qatar Arabian World Cup, in which he will be facing a much tougher field.

The Qatar Prix Foy (Gr2), for 4-year-olds and up over the 2,400m of ParisLongchamp, was won for the second year running by Waldgeist, in the colours of Gestüt Ammerland who own him in partnership with Newsells Park Stud.

This son of the great Galileo, who is trained by André Fabre, won by 2 lengths in front of Way To Paris, with Japanese raider Kiseki a somewhat disappointing third. Waldgeist will be running next for the second time in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe back at ParisLongchamp in three weeks’ time, in which he finished a very honorable fourth in 2018.

The Group 1 Qatar Prix Vermeille, for 3-year-old and older fillies only, also takes place over the same course and distance as the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

An objective in its own right, this highly competitive race was won by Star Catcher. She was ridden by Frankie Dettori, who was also taking his 16th Group 1 win of the year and is trained by John Gosden for the colours of Anthony Oppenheimer, who tasted Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe success in 2015 with Golden Horn. John Gosden is of course the trainer of Enable, who will be aiming for a third historic win in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.

The Qatar Prix Niel (Gr2), the final 2,400m trial for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe of the day, was highly anticipated as the 3-year-old Sottsass was making his first racecourse appearance since winning the Qipco Prix du Jockey Club in June.

Despite being blocked in on the rail until a furlong out from the winning post, Sottsass showed that he has the class to be a real threat over this distance with an exceptional turn of foot to win by a length and a quarter in front of Mutamakina, the only filly in the race. Racing in the colours of Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm, the colt confirmed that he is the leader of his generation in France.

A 5-furlong sprint down the straight at ParisLongchamp, the Qatar Prix du Petit Couvert (Gr3), was won by the British-trained Glass Slippers. This 3-year-old filly, who was coming here off a Listed win in Deauville in August, is owned and bred by Bearstone Stud and trained by Kevin Ryan. She won by a short head in front of Shades Of Blue, who is also trained in England, by Clive Cox. Glass Slippers sat towards the rear, before being produced wide by jockey Tom Eaves and passing out the field decisively to hit the line in front.

Final Group race of the day, the Qatar Prix du Pin (Gr3) was won by the starting favourite, City Light. This consistent 5-year-old horse was winning his second Group race, having placed multiple times at Group level for owner Jean-Louis Bouchard. He jumped well and was settled mid-division by jockey Christophe Soumillon. Once in the straight, he eased up to join the leaders and was very impressive to win with plenty in hand by a length and a half from Grainges in second.