A Second Emir's Trophy for The Blue Eye

The two-time champion older horse in Qatar, The Blue Eye (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) got a terrific ride from off the pace by perennial leading jockey Harry Bentley and outfinished 2016 Qatar Derby hero Noor Al Hawa (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) to win Saturday's US$1-million Emir's Trophy for the second time in three years. US raider Money Multiplier (Lookin At Lucky) was enterprisingly ridden by Frankie Dettori and held on for third, just ahead of 2017 Qatar Derby victor Mac Mahon (Ity) (Ramonti {Fr}).

Away without incident, The Blue Eye landed in a midfield position and raced a path or two off the inside with cover as Money Multiplier, who refused to settled through the opening 800m or so, was allowed to stride into the lead rounding the second turn. The pacesetter, marking the first overseas runner for champion trainer Chad Brown, took them into the second bend while racing noticeably more comfortably, but looked to be in deep water when Noor Al Hawa was pulled out to deliver his challenge in upper stretch. The latter clawed his way past a stubborn Money Multiplier with 250m to travel, but Bentley produced The Blue Eye down the center of the track and the duo finished over the top for the victory. Chemical Charge (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) endured a rough passage and finished well down the field.

Winner of two of four starts in France for Aleyrion Bloodstock and trainer Christophe Ferland, The Blue Eye fetched €400,000 at the 2014 Arqana Arc Sale and was exported to this jurisdiction. The four-length winner of this event in 2016, he was only ninth in defence of his title 12 months ago and was exiting a runner-up effort to Barwod (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in a local trial Feb. 1.

The Blue Eye's 3-year-old half-brother Julian Rock (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was runner-up in a single juvenile start over the Chantilly all-weather last November and the winner is kin to Siyouni (Fr) fillies of 2016 and 2017. VIDEO

Saturday's Results:
HH THE EMIR'S TROPHY, $1,000,000, Al Rayyan, 2-24, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:29.71, gd.
1–THE BLUE EYE (GB), 132, h, 6, Dubawi (Ire)–Soneva (GSW-UAE & Fr, $339,837), by Cherokee Run. (€400,000 HRA '14 ARQARC). O-Mr Khalifa Bin Sheail KH J Al Kuwari; B-Aleyrion Bloodstock Ltd; T-Jassim Ghazali; J-Harry Bentley; $570,000. Lifetime Record: 2x Hwt. Older Horse-Qat, 25-15-4-2, $1,718,029.
2–Noor Al Hawa (Fr), 132, h, 5, Makfi (GB)–Majestic Roi, by Street Cry (Ire). O-Al Wasmiyah Farm; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd; T-Andreas Wohler; $220,000.
3–Money Multiplier, 132, r, 6, Lookin At Lucky–Intensify, by Unbridled's Song. ($100,000 Wlg '12 KEENOV; $260,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Al Shahania Stud; B-Machmer Hall & Haymarket Farm (KY); T-Chad Brown; $110,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, 1 1/4.[bullet ad=”machmer-hall-co-bred”][bullet ad=”selectsales-shell”][bullet ad=”nick-de-meric-de-meric-stables-graduate”][bullet ad=”woodstock-thrived”][bullet ad=”bluewater-itsinthewater”][bullet ad=”mersant-international”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred”] Also Ran: Mac Mahon (Ity), Elbereth (GB), Zman Awal (Ire), Otwo, Best Fouad (Fr), Chemical Charge (Ire), Fort Moville (Ire), Qatari Hunter (Ire), Barwod (GB), Duke of Dundee (Fr), Cameraman (GB), Goldenfield (Ire), Quelindo (Ger).