By Alan Carasso
A winner at group level in Britain, placed in Grade I company in America and group-placed in France, Michael Tabor, Mrs John Magnier and Derrick Smith's Hunting Horn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) shoots for more international black-type in Saturday's US$1-million H.H. The Amir Trophy (2400m) at Al Rayyan Racecourse in Doha.
Impressive winner of last year's G3 Hampton Court S. at the Royal meeting and subsequently third in the GI Belmont Derby across the pond, Hunting Horn just missed in the G2 Qatar Prix Niel on Arc preview day Sept. 16. Well beaten in the Arc itself and in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, the bay makes his first start since an honest third in the GIII W.L. McKnight S. at Florida's Gulfstream Park Jan. 26.
The lightly raced Raymond Tusk (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) represents the Richard Hannon yard and makes his first appearance as a 4-year-old, having carried Jamie Spencer to a half-length success in the G2 Gran Premio del Jockey Club at the San Siro last October. At home, he was the easy winner of the Listed Glasgow S. and runner-up in the G3 Geoffrey Freer S. ahead of an unplaced effort behind Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 St Leger S.
Liam the Charmer (Smart Strike) ships in from the States for trainer Michael McCarthy, who won the GI Pegasus World Cup a few weeks back with City of Light (Quality Road). A Grade II winner over 10 furlongs last season, he was most recently just beaten into third in the GII San Gabriel S. over an insufficient nine-furlong trip Jan. 5.
The locals are headed by The Blue Eye (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of this event in 2016 and again last year. Victorious in his first-up run over 1600m Nov. 15, he endured a tough trip to be a latest fourth in a domestic Group 2 race over a mile and a quarter Dec. 27.
Though Qatar is a part III racing jurisdiction per the International Cataloging Standards, the Amir Trophy is one of three races conducted annually that is eligible for black-type.
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